A Little Too Much Rum
by PineAppleLint
Summary: Belle Gilily was born an aristocrat, but many unveiled secrets lead her to believe she has pirate blood flowing through her veins. A run in with Jack Sparrow will mark the beginning of her adventures, her piracy, and self discovery.
1. Introductions

Title: A Little Too Much Rum

Author: PineAppleLint

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, nor does Disney own me. I hope you enjoy the tragic, romantic, eunuchy and grammatically correct story of Miss Belle Blake…erm, Gilily. May you find the horizons most beautiful and Jack's swagger all the more entertaining with each chapter.

Sincerely,  
PineAppleLint

* * *

_Prologue_

Belle wasn't a normal woman.

She did not enjoy the luxury she was born upon, nor did she enjoy flaunting it. Oh, how she wished she could sleep under the stars on cloudless nights or feel the gentle sway of the ocean under her feet.

Some nights when her father was at a business meeting, she would dress up in men's clothes, grab a sword from the mantle above the fireplace, and fantasize about adventures just out of her reach. Sure, it seemed a little childish for a twenty year old to be wandering about playing pirates, but she was bored…deathly bored of her aristocratic life of fancy parties and huge stifling dresses and stuffy gentlemen. To swordfight instead of knit, to scrub the deck instead of pick at her fingernails…_what a life to live_ she would think to herself on quiet evenings as she sat in her room near the window, looking out over the ocean.

She opened the window and breathed in the salty wind. No one was home in the Gilily household except the cooks and the maids who were frightfully busy cleaning the big mansion spotless. A grin broke across Belle's face, causing the dimple in her chin to show. She had a remarkable idea that only a woman of her courage could pull off. Oh yes, it was going to be a most interesting night, indeed.

* * *


	2. The One and Only Sparrow

Disclaimer: Still the same as the first chapter.

To you, ol' dear reader: Hello! Thank you for reading and I hope you shall review also. I love to hear from you! Belle and Jack are going to get acquainted in this chapter and Belle is going to learn a very interesting secret about her past…

Drink up me 'earties,

PineAppleLint

* * *

She glanced down the hallway, trying to make sure the maids were not about to find her and ask her what she was doing. Belle snuck into her father's bedchambers and started going through his clothes. She looked in the long mirror, holding up an outfit to her body. This was going to fit nicely.

She laced up the leather vest and stared at herself in the mirror. Well, hell's bells! She made a good pirate lass, even if she did say so herself. She was wearing a baggy white shirt with a striped vest over it, brown pants that cut off at the knees and white leggings to go with it. Black boots that she had to stuff parchment in in order to get them to fit her small feet right pulled the whole ensemble together. She couldn't expect herself to go where she was heading in heeled monstrosities. She tied a red bandanna around her head and let her waist- long blond hair fall freely. She frowned as she examined herself again. Belle didn't have the tan that pirates usually had. Her skin was a creamy, pale color, immediately giving away her high status. What could she do about it now? Color herself in?

Giggling at the ridiculous thought, Belle went to her father's nightstand and grabbed the silver dagger he kept in the bottom drawer for protection. She sheathed it in her boot and ran back to her second story window that overlooked Port Royal. There was a large oak tree outside that she used to climb onto as a small child, and the branches almost touching the window. She already had one foot outside when she heard her door open.

"Miss Gilily!" the young maid exclaimed, "What on earth are you doing?"

"Gloria!" she gasped, falling back onto the soft Oriental rug, "You scared me!"

"Come back inside, Miss. This is not very wise decision on your part..."

"Gloria," she sighed, "Please, don't tell Father. Just give me one night. Leave it to me to make sure he doesn't find out about my whereabouts."

"Where are you going?" Gloria asked, suddenly excited.

"The tavern," she replied with a wink, "To see what else there is to life besides this black and white portrait of perfection."

"The tavern?" Gloria grimaced, eyes wide, "But that place is raunchy, dirty, and..."

"Absolutely intriguing?" Belle added with a grin, "This is going to be one hell of an adventure!"

"Now, don't use that language, Miss! It isn't proper for a nice young lady like yourself!"

"I'm sick of proper, Gloria. And I'm twenty years old. For tonight, I'm a pirate and anything but proper. Good night, Gloria."

"Good night, Miss Gilily! Please, do be careful!"

"I will, lass," she said in a feigned, rough pirate's voice, "I assure ye!" Gloria muffled her laughter and watched with a worried look as Belle climbed all the way down the tree. Belle gave her one last wave before running off down the cobblestone streets of Port Royal.

* * *

Belle stood outside and as the old wooden door swung open, she could hear the raging sounds of fighting and laughter coming from inside. The sign that said "The Bilge Water" swung slightly in the cool summer breeze, with it carrying the sweet smell of the sea. She took a long breath of fresh air and practically stumbled as some dirty pirate came barreling out of the tavern, ran into her, then whirled around and began to vomit on the street side. Belle curled her lip in disgust before sighing. There was no turning back now. For tonight, she would live up to her dreams of being a fierce female. She opened the door with one hard swing and quickly took in the general splendor.

The room was dimly lit and all the noise was earsplitting. There were whores, pirates, and simpleton men looking for a good time. Rum was sloshing everywhere, mugs were clinking, and the whores were working their magic, trying to get a night's pay. The bartender was quickly filling up mugs and just as quickly getting new orders.

Belle sat down at the only available rickety wooden table and yelled, "'Ey! One mug o' rum o'er here!" The bartender glanced up and his eyes narrowed, studying her, as if he knew this was not her place. But he finally grabbed a mug and got one of his girls to bring it to her. She clinked it down and the redhead held out her hand. Belle grabbed a few shillings from her pocket and placed it in her sweaty palm. The girl smiled triumphantly and walked off, getting her new orders. She grabbed the stained mug and without thinking, downed some of the warm liquid in one gulp. She began to cough loudly, thumping her chest with the palm of her hand. The bittersweet rum burned all the way down and started a ticklish sensation in the pit of her stomach. She took another sip and then realized everyone had gone quiet. They were staring at door.

Belle glanced over, desperately wanting to know the cause of the silence, and found a tall man standing there, studying everyone with a grin while flashing some of his gold teeth. He had dark brown hair that was pulled back in a red bandanna and had a tricorne hat perched at the top of his head. He had a goatee with trinkets and beads strung into the two braids, and some of the beads entwined in his unruly long hair. He was tanned and muscular from long days under the sun. His brown eyes scanned the crowd and they finally rested on Belle. Her eyes widened as she panicked and looked at her table. It contained the only seat left in the whole tavern.

"I thought Captain Jack Sparrow was dead," she heard a man whisper in horror.

"You can't kill Jack," another wagered, "He's good…and always makin' miraculous escapes."

"That's right, gentlemen," Jack said, tipping his hat in greeting, "I'm back in Port Royal to right some wrongs. You scabberous dogs best be watchin' your backs!" Everyone chuckled and shook their heads. Apparently he was a popular man among the others. Belle's mind began to spin as realization hit her like a sledgehammer. Captain Jack Sparrow. The infamous pirate of the Caribbean. She had heard so many stories, thinking most of them were fables at the time.

Now here was the man himself in her midst to prove her wrong.

He walked over, appearing almost as if he were drunk, with his hands flailing about and that narrow-hipped swagger only HE could pull off without looking like a complete fool. He sat down across from Belle and began to examine her with thoughtful eyes.

"You…you're Jack Sparrow?" she asked, forgetting to use her tough pirate voice while she was completely at a loss for words.

"CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow," he corrected with a crooked grin, "Aye. You've heard of me, luv?"

"I certainly have," she replied with a smile.

"And what is yer name, luv?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

"Belle Gilily," she responded proudly.

"You don't seem as if you belong here, Miss Gilily."

"Don't be so bold, Captain Sparrow," she replied with a slight narrowing of her eyes, "I belong where I want to belong."

"You are the one bein' a bit bold, Gilily. I can tell you aren't cut out for the rough life. Escape from home, I wager?"

She frowned and said, "Perhaps I did. Want to make somethin' of it?"

He chuckled, his eyes gleaming as he replied, "Hell no, lass. I just want a drink." Suddenly his chocolate brown eyes darkened and he looked as if he was in a deep meditation of sorts.

"What?" she asked, "Why are you staring at me so?"

"You look awfully familiar. You look like someone I used to know a long time ago."

"And who would that be?" she asked, frowning.

Without warning, he grabbed at her wrist and she jumped. "Let go of me!" she growled. He didn't listen to her and turned her hand over so her palm was facing upwards.

"Just what I thought," he murmured in shock, then met her harsh glare, "Do you know what that is?"

She glanced at her own hand, staring at the birthmark on her wrist. It was in the shape of a sun coming over the ocean horizon. "An unusual birthmark, Captain Sparrow," she shot back, "Nothing that interesting. I've had it for as long as I can remember. Now what is all the fuss about?"

"That." he said while tracing his thumb along the scarred flesh, "Is no birthmark. That is the brand of Captain "Blackstone" Blake. And I think you are his daughter."


	3. Revelations

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for my own characters.

Author's Note: I love all the reviews! I know I say that every time I have an author's note but you don't know how much I like hearing from you guys. All you talented writers are awesome and your critiquing/compliments are really neat. Let's see ... Jack has confronted Ms. Gilily and told her that her father was a pirate. But she already has a father! Something's amuck here. Let's read on, shall we?

Lots o' really bad eggs,

PineAppleLint

* * *

"Are you mad?" Belle asked haughtily, "I have a father, thank you very much! AND, might I add, he is no bloodthirsty pirate, I assure you!"

"You are the daughter of Blackstone Blake," Jack said, still taken aback, "You have his eyes."

"Are you drunk?" she practically shouted, "I am Belle Gilily and I belong to one of the wealthiest families this side of Port Royal! I have no pirate blood in me." She said that last line softly and with a hint of bitterness.

"But you yearn to spend your life on a ship, adventuring across the ocean," Jack added for her, reading her entirely too well for comfort.

"Perhaps," she said quietly, "But, Captain Jack Sparrow, you are wrong. I have no pirate blood in me, and no matter what I wish, it is not so."

"Luv," Sparrow began, "I think you are makin' a big mistake by not investigatin' this any further ..."

"What do you expect me to do, Mister Sparrow?" she questioned, eyes blazing, "You have just informed me that my whole life has been a lie. How do you expect me to believe a half drunk scoundrel?"

Jack paused, his mug of rum halfway to his lips when he said huskily, "Why do ye enjoy baiting me, Miss Gilily? I am a pirate, a thief, and a scoundrel, that much is true. I see no fault in you pointin' out the obvious. But taunting me isn't wise." He leaned in close to Belle and added, "How do you know I won't cut your throat out from offendin' me?"

"Good night, Mister Sparrow," she hissed, "I do not wish to take any more verbal abuse from you." She finished off her rum and slammed it down hard on the table, causing it to rattle. Jack had to admit with amusement that this lass had spirit.

"Perhaps I shall walk you home, luv, so no scoundrels or thieves prey upon ye?" Jack suggested.

"A scoundrel guarding me from other scoundrels does not sound like a wise situation to me," she grumbled and began to walk away from him.

"Sweet dreams, Miss…Blake," Sparrow called with a crooked grin. Aye, he would see the lass again, in due time. His eyes scanned the tavern and settled on a brunette beauty. Tonight all he was worried about was getting raging drunk and finding some pleasurable company. "Drink up me 'earties, yo ho," he mumbled to himself and with his own toast to the Black Pearl, downed yet another mug. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Belle snuck in through the back door of the mansion, not wanting to wake anyone. Her mind was whirling with possibilities. Could she really be the daughter of a famous pirate? What about her present father? Who was he? Suddenly she felt heartsick. What if her life really _had been _a lie?

Gloria came rushing in, causing Belle to let out a sharp gasp of surprise.

"Master Gilily came home early!" she shrieked, "He arrived an hour ago and demanded to know where you went."

"You told him, then?" Belle asked warily.

"I could do nothing else," she said gravely, "If I did not say anything, all the guards would be out looking for you at this very instant! Do be careful…he is still extremely upset."

Belle sighed and said, "Then I must do what I must." Belle was still in shock from meeting the infamous Captain Sparrow and from the news he had left with her to sort out through her mind. She held up her wrist and examined the birthmark once again. It didn't seem much like a birthmark, now that she studied it. The flesh was slightly raised and the skin seemed scarred, as if someone had forcefully branded the horizon scene into her wrist.

Belle suddenly had a flashback. Pain, tortured cries, the gruff voice of a man who tried to calm her, tried telling her...

Where did that come from? Tried to tell her what? Gloria came back and said softly, "The master wishes to speak with you, Miss." Belle nodded and allowed Gloria to lead the way with her lit candle.

She stepped into her father's study and closed the door. He was standing by the fire, watching as the flames flickered and crackled. "Father?" she said quietly, "I am sorry."

He turned to face his only daughter. He wore a white wig, and his face was lined with age, with worry. He had seen a lot in his lifetime and had grown tired over the years. It had been hard on him to be a single parent, for his wife had died when Belle was but a mere child. Her mother, Belle mused. Or perhaps her adoptive mother?

"Child, do you know how much I worry about you?" he sighed.

"I am not a child, father," she said, "Not anymore."

"You are rebellious, daughter. Day and night, I worry about where you are, what you are doing, what ideas are running through that head of yours. It has to stop."

"I know, father."

"Why must you go out amongst bloodthirsty murderers and cheats?" he asked, "Why do you have to live so dangerously?"

"It is in my blood, father."

"For goodness sakes, child. Your mother and I have never had such yearnings to act so carelessly."

"I know. I am adopted then, aren't I?" she questioned quietly, pain and curiosity lingering in her tone.

Master Gilily gawked at Belle, his eyes widening.

"Child, why would you think such a thing?"

"Answer me," she ordered, "Just answer the question!"

He just stared at her, his eyes instantly filling with tears.

"So it is true," she remarked with a sudden rush of anger and sadness.

"I have loved you like you were my own, Belle," he said, "We found you when you were but a mere baby on the docks. I had recently gotten married and was doing some work for the Port. We decided to take you in."

"I have to leave Port Royal," she cried, tears coursing down her face, "And live my life how it is supposed to be lived."

"Belle! What in heaven's name are you talking about?"

"In the tavern I met a bloke who told me of my father. He was a pirate."

Master Gilily's eyes widened in astonishment, "A pirate?"

"Yes. You hate pirates. Ironic, isn't it, when your daughter ends up having pirate blood flowing through her veins?"

"It doesn't have to be like this, Belle!" he shouted in desperation, "Stay here! You are my daughter…in my eyes you have always been so!"

"I know. But I am sick of this lifestyle. You have even noticed my developing yearning to be elsewhere!"

"No, Belle! You musn't!" he said sternly, "You are staying here."

"Father," she said gravely, "I am leaving tonight. And you cannot stop me." After those words she fled to her room, all the while her father was yelling at her to act reasonable. She began to cry, slumped up against the door to her own room. It was too much. Her father wasn't real. Sure, in her eyes he would always be her father, but there would always be that voice in the back of her head saying he wasn't so.

A pirate. She would get to live out her dream thanks to the marking on her wrist. Belle examined it again and began to stuff some clothes into a sack, along with her dagger and a few books for entertainment. She didn't even have a sword, she thought with disgust, what kind of pirate was she supposed to be, anyway?

A lost one, she thought to herself, one that was wandering down the hard path, looking for her destiny.

"Miss, where are you going this time?" Gloria cried through the closed door.

"I shall miss you, Gloria," she said through her tears, "And I shall be back. It may not be tomorrow, or next month, or next year, but I shall return."

"Belle! Please don't do this!" Gloria begged but Belle was already out of the window.

With determination, she climbed down the oak tree once more with the sack slung over her shoulder and began to run to the Port, where the Black Pearl would be waiting. And that was where she would find her salvation.


	4. Blast that Rum!

Author's Note: Thank you very so much for the reviews! It makes me type faster as well as makes me feel warm fuzzies inside, as always. Belle Gilily has recently learned that she has been adopted, so to speak, and wants to live the life she has always dreamed of. Will she be a fast learner? What will Jack Sparrow think of this? Well then, why don't I quit me babblin' and continue with the tale?

We're devils and blacksheep,

PineAppleLint

* * *

_For goodness sakes_, she thought, _Jack Sparrow is going to think I'm a buffoon when I come after him, pleading to take me with him on the Black Pearl. I will not beg! I will simply ask politely with the determination and the courage of twenty pirates. No, make that twenty thousand pirates!_

She grinned idiotically at herself for a moment. Some passersby looked at her with concern because she probably looked lost, alone, and well, insane, grinning madly like she was at that instant. With her sack of things still thrown over her shoulder, she was about to enter the tavern when the door flew open and Jack stumbled out, clearly drunk, and tripped, falling straight into her arms.

"Miss Blake," he slurred, "Fancy meetin' you again."

"Oh, in the name of all things Holy," she grumbled, "Jack! I'm here to ask you something very important. I was _wondering_ if I could be a part of your crew on the Black Pearl. Jack?"

He was passed out, snoring softly in her arms, his head lolling against her shoulder and his arms loosely around her waist. Captain Jack Sparrow had already made a big enough impression on Belle Gilily, an impression that would last a lifetime.

"You mangy cad!" she yelled and shook him a little, "Wake up this instant!"

His response was that his snores grew a bit louder. Belle sighed and looked up towards the heavens. It was going to be a long night, indeed.

* * *

"Bloody pirate," she murmured as she literally dragged Captain Sparrow down the dark streets of Port Royal and to the docks where the Black Pearl sat in waiting. It was dormant now, peaceful and uninhabited, but what Belle wanted to see was the Black Pearl in action. The cannons firing with sparking energy and the calls of an excited crew ...

"Really, really bad eggs," Belle heard Jack mumble and begin to snore again.

"Argh," she muttered in disgust. She couldn't believe she was carrying a passed out pirate to his ship. _What am I getting myself into?_ she thought to herself. Even if she was a beginner, she was going to make her unknown pirate father damn proud.

Belle dragged Jack up the wooden gangplank and onto the Black Pearl. She dropped him none too lightly onto the wooden deck and took in a breath of fresh sea air. The magnificent ship swayed slightly under her feet as the ocean beckoned to her.

"You THERE!" she heard an old man shout and she almost jumped out of her skin. Belle whirled around and found that a disgruntled balding man was making his way towards her.

"I do not mean to intrude," she said politely and stuck out her hand, "My name is Belle Gilily and I am returning a rather drunken fool to your ship, or at least, I hope you are a crew member of this ship. You aren't trying to commandeer it, are you?"

The old man let out a bark of laughter and wiped his sweaty dirt smudged face, and then used the same hand to shake hers in welcome. She curled her lip slightly as his moist hand held hers firmly but tried to smile.

"No, Miss Gilily, I am Mister Gibbs, the first mate of the Black Pearl. So I see you came across Sparrow, eh? What has he been up to this time?"

"Just a little too much rum, Mister Gibbs, surely. Now where are his quarters? Perhaps I should see to it that he be put to rest."

"Miss Belle, ye need not worry about Jack. I'll see to it, young lady."

"I've cared for my cousins too many times to count, Mister Gibbs, and I know all about this sort of thing."

"Your little cousins get drunk out o' their wits?" Gibbs asked, flabbergasted.

"No!" she said impatiently, "I've cared for them when they grew ill. Now hush, Mister Gibbs. You may go about your way. I'll see to this."

"All right, Miss Belle, if that's what ye really want to do," he replied, shrugging, and was about to walk away when he turned around and added, "How is it a fancy woman such as yerself got caught up with the likes o' Jack?"

She began to think, wondering if she should share her family secret with a complete bumbling stranger. Nah. "That's a tale for another time, Mister Gibbs," she said with a smile, "I just want to be a part of the crew. I want an adventure."

"Bringing a woman on board is awfully bad luck," he grumbled and turned around again, walking back below deck.

"Then you shall be burdened with bad luck as long as I am here," she said quietly, half to herself, "Because I am not leaving this bloody ship." She would tend to Jack, and if Jack really knew what was good for him, he would repay her by letting her come aboard.

She dragged him into what she thought was his room and she was correct. There was one window next to a desk that was cluttered with maps and burned out candles. A big mahogany bed sat in one corner with clean white linens. After many tries, she finally managed to heave the bloody pirate onto the bed. He was still snoring softly as she removed his hat and effects, setting them on the nightstand. She examined the trinkets in his hair with gentle caresses of her fingertips, wondering what oceans he had sailed and what lands he had roamed to gather such fine little treasures.

He was incredibly handsome for a scurvy pirate, she admitted to herself with a grin, and sighed when her little fantasy was ruined when he belched quite loudly.

"You disgusting pig," she muttered as her fingers worked fast, trying to remove his leather belt that held his sword.

He stirred and opened one eye, saying with a sleepy slur, "Careful on the goods, darling," then slumped over, drifting off to an alcohol induced slumber once more.

* * *


	5. The Plan

Author's Notes: Hello all my fellow pirates! Can I hear a whoop whoop? Thanks for the fantabulous reviews, people! You rock! (Hands every reviewer a pet rock) Now you all can name your rocks and then read the next chapter, savvy? When we left off, Belle was tending to Captain Jack Sparrow, who was passed out from drinking WAY too much rum. (tsk tsk Captain Sparrow!) Let's see if he will allow her to come aboard the Black Pearl. Read on, mateys!

Welcome to the Caribbean, luvs!

PineAppleLint

* * *

She felt the bed shift under someone's weight and her eyes snapped open. How did she get on this bed? Why, last night, she had fallen asleep in a chair! Sure enough Belle glanced over and the wooden chair was sitting there next to the cozy bed, barren. Something tightened around her waist and her eyes widened. What was going on...

Belle looked over her shoulder to find a very comfortable Jack Sparrow clutching her waist possessively and his chest rising and falling with each content breath he made. His warm breath tickled her ear and she jumped out of the bed.

"What in God's name is going on?" Belle cried.

Jack Sparrow grinned wickedly, his eyes still closed as he stretched and replied, "Ye looked mighty uncomfortable sittin' there all by yer lonesome."

"You insufferable DRUNKEN MADMAN!" she shouted, her face as red as a bowl of cherries.

"Aye," he nodded, "That I am."

She took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down. If she wanted to become a crewmember on the Black Pearl, she had to ask politely. Beating Captain Jack Sparrow to a bloody pulp wasn't going to help her win a place on this beautiful ship.

"Mister Sparrow," she began with a sigh.

"CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow, if you please," he corrected.

"Fine, CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow," she said sarcastically, "I was wondering if I could become a member of the crew on the Black Pearl."

"You? A member?" he asked with raised eyebrows, "I'm afraid not, luv."

"And why the hell not?" she questioned angrily.

"You are a fancy upstanding lady, Miss Gilily…or should I say Miss _Blake_? There is no need for a snobby woman on my ship."

"Do I seem snobby to you, Mister Sparrow?"

"CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow!" he corrected once more, now clearly annoyed, "Yes. Ye look like the kind o' girl that has been waited on hand and foot. I'm not allowin' you to come aboard for free, ye know."

"What do you want me to do, Captain?" she asked warily, "I'll do whatever it takes. Please...I want to make something of myself. I..." she stopped, looking uncomfortable to continue.

"What is it, luv? Go on."

"I want to find my father's ship," Belle stated, letting out a breath she didn't even know she had pent up in her lungs, "After all, now that he's dead, it is rightfully mine, right?"

"Yes," he said, his fingers perched on his chin, "That's very interesting..."

"What is, Captain Sparrow?"

"Your father's ship, The Rising Sun, has been taken over by rogue pirates."

"Are pirates anything but rogues?" Belle commented with raised eyebrows.

Jack grinned and questioned, "And why would you think, lass, that I would go out o' me way for you to find yer father's ship? Why do ye think I would even help you at all?"

Belle leaned in close to him and said seriously, "I've read about you, Captain Jack Sparrow. You love adventure. Anything dangerous and crude. So I advise you, if you don't help me, you will be missing out on an adventure of a lifetime."

"What's in it for me besides adventure, luv?" he asked suspiciously.

"I shall share the rights of my ship with you," Belle declared at once.

Jack got out of bed and walked up to her so they were standing practically chest to chest. "And, Belle, what happens when we get yer ship, and I decide that I want to take it all for meself? I can sail a ship all by me onesies, after all."

"Would you really do that, Jack?" she asked, hands on her hips.

"I don't know. Do ye trust a pirate such as meself?"

"Swear on your pirate honor that you will not deceive me, Jack."

"That's the thing, luv," he laughed, "Pirates have no honor. We just 'ave our dignity and that's about it."

"I don't believe you," she said with narrowed eyes.

"All right, hellcat," he said with a grin, "I swear on pain of death that I shall not take your ship and captain it all by me onesies, savvy?"

"Savvy," Belle agreed and she held out his hand.

He stared at her hand and his eyes met hers.

"Let us shake on it," she said seriously.

He hesitantly placed his hand in hers and their grips were firm. She shook it a couple of times and let it go. When his skin had touched hers, she felt a tingling sensation.

"Oh hell," she cursed and stared at him.

"What is it, Belle?"

"Nothing, Jack. I just hope that this wild goose chase will work and that we won't die in the process."

"Sounds like my kind o' plan," Jack said and winked.

"There's one problem though."

"And what problem would that be, luv?"

"There's a whole ocean out there. Do we even know where to start?"

They started at each other for a moment or two before Jack finally broke the silence.

"Damn."

* * *

Don't worry mates! The next chapter will be longer, I promise. Please review or I shall make you walk the plank, savvy? And I'll throw yer pet rocks to the depths of Davy Jones' Locker! 


	6. Pretend Lovers

Author's Notes:

Hey there, fellow writers and readers! The compliments are absolutely lovely and constructive criticism is always appreciated. (Hands every reviewer a slinky, because slinkies are so neat-o) Just don't use them for evil purposes, okay?

Now let's see...Belle Gilily and the delicious Captain have struck a deal. Jack will let her come aboard the Black Pearl so she can find her real pirate father's ship and have the chance to live out her dream as a pirate. The only problem is is that they don't know where to start! It's kind of like Where's Waldo? except Jack isn't wearing red and white striped clothes with a little ski hat. (gets mental picture and cringes) I hope you enjoy this installment.

I swear on pain of death, I shall take you to the Black Pearl and your bonny lass. Do we have an accord? -CJS

PineAppleLint

* * *

"That's all you have to say, Sparrow?" she cried, obviously disgusted, "Then we are in a bigger pickle than I thought if one of the most infamous pirate captains in the Caribbean can only say 'damn' when presented with a problem."

Jack grinned idiotically at her, not saying a word.

"What?" Belle asked, flustered, "Why are you so amused?"

"You said damn, luv. You are already losing your snobbish ways."

"Good, because I am glad to be rid of them. Since you would rather get drunk tonight instead of start on our expedition, I shall take this matter into my own hands," Belle replied, chin high.

"And what do ye suppose we do?"

"Commodore Norrington is a friend of the family. He would surely keep tabs on the pirate ships of the Caribbean."

"Ye ran away from home, luv. Wouldn't he send ye straight back to yer father?"

"If he tries, I won't go without a fight. Lend me your pistol, will you?"

Jack Sparrow shook his head and replied, "Cursin' and wantin' weaponry all in the time span of one minute. Yer impressin' me. I can't pass the chance to see ol' chum Norrington! Plus you can't go all by yer onesies. I'll tag along."

"All right Sparrow. But aren't you wanted dead?"

"As you said, Belle, nothing a pistol can't change." He cocked his hat at her and handed Belle her shawl. "Shall we be goin', lass?"

"Yes, the sooner the better," Belle replied. She then narrowed her eyes and poked him in the nose with her finger, adding, "Oh, and try not to do anything stupid."

* * *

The sky rumbled and Belle looked up at the darkness thoughtfully. The gray clouds looked heavy as if they were going to spill over at any moment. Thick, dense fog surrounded them, wrapping around them like a muffling quilt.

"Wonderful weather, isn't it?" Jack teased, trying to make small talk.

"Mmmm..." she murmured, deep in thought.

"Belle, what are you so troubled about?" Jack inquired, his eyebrows raised as she glanced back at him.

"Just wondering if this idea is going to bloody work," Belle muttered, "After all, Commodore is going to be very suspicious as to why I need information on the whereabouts of The Rising Sun. And I would rather you not get clapped into irons the moment you step through the door."

"You care about me welfare, luv," he said, pressing his palms together and bowing dramatically, "I'm touched."

Belle rolled her eyes and began to walk faster. She heard him bumbling behind her, trying to keep up. She glanced back and found him quickening his swaggering step, his hands flailing about.

"It's odd that the guards have not noticed us yet," she said with amusement, "With you walking around like that."

"Like what?"

"Forget it, Sparrow."

"No, what?"

"Well, you tend to look like this," Belle pointed out and did a very good impression of him walking down the cobblestone streets of Port Royal, staggering about like a drunk madman.

He narrowed his eyes and accused, "Are ye pokin' fun at Captain Jack Sparrow?"

She smiled and replied, "Perhaps a little."

"Yer goin' to pay for that, lass," he said, grinning, "No one pokes fun at the likes of Captain Jack Sparrow."

"Well, there's a first time for everything, isn't there?" she asked, eyes twinkling while she began to lead the way once more.

Jack Sparrow took a moment to watch her walk off again. She was a hellcat, he thought, full of retorts and spice, that one. His eyes lingered over her curvy hips and the way her buttocks filled out those breeches.

"Sparrow," Belle called, not bothering to turn around, "If you keep looking where you are looking, I will box your ears!"

Jack smiled. Ah, caught in the act. He was going to have fun getting to know her.

"Hold up, luv!" he said and began running after her, still grinning like crazy. Oh yes, the two of them were going to have quite the adventure. Suddenly he stopped and grabbed a hold of Belle's hand, frowning and scanning the area.

"Sparrow! What's wrong?"

"Hush. I think I hear something." Right at that moment, Belle gasped as a sword was pressed to Jack's throat.

"Well, well ... if it isn't Captain Jack Sparrow," the soldier smirked, and five others surrounded them, forming a circle so they could not escape. They pointed their swords at Belle and Sparrow in warning.

"My name is Belle Gilily, and we were on our way to pay a visit to Commodore Norrington. So I would suggest you put a stop to your rash actions at once!"

They just laughed at her bold words. "Miss," one of them exclaimed, "We know Mister Gilily and why would his daughter be running about with the likes of Sparrow in men's clothing? Are the two of you lovers?"

Jack raised his eyebrows at this remark but didn't say a word, just grinned mischievously.

"We most certainly are not!" she hissed then tried to maintain her calm composure once more. "Please, I do insist you take us to Norrington."

"It's straight to the cells for you two, missy. Anyone conversing with the likes of Sparrow is up to no good."

"This is madness!" Belle cried as one kicked Sparrow so he toppled over and three of them began to chain him.

"Easy on the goods!" he commanded gruffly as they clapped him in irons none too lightly.

"Get off of him!" she yelled and punched her captor in the face, instantly breaking his nose. She grabbed his sword and stared at it for a split second. She had never REALLY dealt with a sword in combat in her entire life. Belle held the sword to one soldier's back and shouted, "Step away from Jack Sparrow or I shall slit his throat. Savvy?" The others glanced up and their eyes widened. The soldier that she was holding hostage actually looked frightened. Jack stood up and brushed off his pants, bowing to Belle slightly.

"Thanks luv."

"No problem, Jack. Boys, it seems here that Jack needs an apology."

There was silence and Jack got out his pistol, aiming it at another soldier. Suddenly a rush of mumbled apologies escaped their lips and Belle and Jack smiled, clearly satisfied. "Now men," Belle continued, "If you would be so kind as to lead us to Commodore Norrington's office."

They marched single file in front of Belle and Sparrow, her sword still at the man's back and Jack's pistol cocked in case one decided to make any sudden movements. They opened the door to his office, and Norrington was there, busy at work at his desk, scribbling on some documents. His white wig almost gleamed in the dim candlelight and he glanced up at them as Jack stormed in, saying, "Hello old friend. How 'ave ye been?"

"Jack Sparrow?" he questioned with a distasteful curl of his lip, "What are you doing here?"

One soldier said frantically, "We were going to lock them up in the cells but they threatened us, Commodore!"

"Them? Who is the other..." His voice faltered when Belle walked through the door, sword still in hand.

"Miss Gilily?" he said, eyes wide, "What in heavens name are you doing?"

"Hello Commodore," she said, nodding her head in his direction, "Please tell these upstanding gentlemen to leave us and never bother with the likes of us again."

"Leave us gentlemen," Norrington ordered, "For now, if you please."

The men grumbled and slammed the door shut behind him. Norrington stood up and walked over to Belle, taking her hand and saying, "Belle, what are you doing in such clothes? Why, with Jack Sparrow..."

"Sparrow is a business acquaintance," she replied coolly, "And since you are such a great friend, we need some information."

"I'm not helping Jack Sparrow," Commodore replied, his eyes cutting to meet Jack's, who grinned, "He has an appointment with the gallows. He deserves to be hanged."

"He is a good man, Commodore," Belle protested.

"Call me James, Belle," he corrected, "We have known each other too long for such talk." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.

She let out a shaky breath and said, "James, we must discuss the whereabouts of the ship 'The Rising Sun.'" Jack watched them talk with amusement as he sat comfortably on Norrington's desk. Clearly he noticed that Norrington and Belle had had an interesting past together. Thankfully Belle wasn't interested in the stuffy lad. But Norrington's emotions were an entirely different story ...Sparrow was going to have to keep a sharp eye.

"Why the Rising Sun, Belle?"

"It is none of your concern."

"If you expect me to give you information, Belle, then I must know the reason," Norrington said gently.

"Lighten up a bit, Commodore," Jack said with a smile, "It is none of yer damn business."

"Stay out of this Jack."

"Yes Jack, please shut up," Belle ordered through clenched teeth.

"Tell me Belle. We have known each other since we were but children. Surely you could tell me," Norrington coaxed.

She hesitated and suddenly asked, "What is Sparrow's fate?"

"He shall be locked up for the time being," Norrington said, as if he was extremely bored.

"He hasn't done anything wrong!" she retaliated fiercely, "You cannot harm him!"

"Just because the two of you are business acquaintances, so to speak, does not void the fact that he has committed many crimes and deserves to be punished for them."

"Mangy cad," Jack muttered and Norrington glanced up at him, saying angrily, "I beg your pardon?"

"Jack, please!" Belle said, holding up a hand to silence him.

"You must not do this, Commodore," she pleaded.

"And why not?" he asked, frowning down at her, "Surely a bloody pirate cannot mean so much to you."

"He...he..." she sputtered and finally she had an idea. If she lied, she could save Jack's skin but perhaps endanger her own.

"We are married," she lied and stared up at him, emotion flooding her eyes. Belle had always been a very good actress. She turned to Jack, who stared at her openmouthed, but she shot him a look that told him to go along with it.

"WHAT?" Norrington gaped.

"We eloped this very night," she said dramatically, "And I ran away from home. Jack and I have loved each other for so long, and tonight we proved our love."

"What...how could you give yourself to a man like Sparrow?" Norrington asked, still shocked beyond reason.

"Please, you must help us Norrington," she pleaded, "Help us find the Rising Sun. Give us a ship. Jack is wanted dead and I don't want anyone to kill the love of my life."

Jack piped up, "Aye. And this meeting is taking away from our honeymoon time so could you please hurry it up a bit..."

"Jack!" she gasped, appalled. He grinned, loving the reaction he got from her.

"So this is truly what you want out of life, Belle?" he asked bitterly, "To spend the rest of your life with a pirate?"

"I'm sorry Norrington," Belle said softly, touching his cheek, "It can be no other way."

"All right," he sighed, "As a wedding present for you, Belle. I shall help you find your way to the Rising Sun. And I'm not doing this for you, Jack. Mark my words."

"O' course, Commodore. You hate me guts, I can tell," Jack said with a smile still plastered onto his lips.

"Tonight, come nightfall," Norrington said, "I shall help you out of Port Royal."

"Oh thank you, Norrington," she breathed, kissed his cheek, and he blushed to the tips of his wig.

"You two are not made for each other, Belle," Norrington whispered, eyeing Jack, who was looking through Norrington's assorted weapons and knick knacks.

"That's not true, Commodore. In my heart I know I've made the right choice."

"As you wish, Belle. What is said in this office will not leave this office."

Jack called, "Luv, we should find a place to stay until nightfall."

Norrington sighed with disgust and said, "You can stay in my quarters. Don't dirty things up, Sparrow. I'm doing this for Belle."

"You've already established that, mate. Yer a smart man. What man wouldn't pass up a chance to help such a fine lass?" He made his point by letting his eyes linger over Belle's body suggestively and she could feel pure hatred radiate off of Norrington.

"Well," she said quickly, "We must be getting some rest to be freshened up come nightfall. Come on, darling." Jack took Belle's hand and she called over her shoulder, "Thank you again, Norrington! You are such a wonderful friend!" and shut the door once they entered Commodore's quarters.

"You sure move fast, luv," he teased and wrapped his arms around her.

"Shut up," she said angrily, "You would have been hanged tomorrow if I hadn't said anything."

"Much appreciated, luv. Now how about that honeymoon I'm looking forward to?" He ran his hands along her hips seductively. She stepped out of his grasp and whispered fiercely, "You are a bloody pig and..."

"Name calling is getting you no where, Belle. Now which side of the bed do ye want?"

Belle walked up to him and smacked him across the face, growling, "I get the whole bed, Sparrow. You..." she pointed to the floor, "Are going to sleep here. Savvy?"

* * *

I hope you liked it! More should be on the way any day now. Now do what you pirates do best and click on that little button down to the left. (Points, using sword) Savvy? 


	7. Head Start

Author's Notes!

Hello, all my fellow pirates. Lovin' the reviews, people! (pulls all my reviewers into a big group hug) So here I am, sitting, typing this by candlelight and drinking some of the rum I stole from Jack Sparrow. Well, not really, but that would be neat. Sorry I haven't updated in a while (Hence the crappiness of school back in session). Let's see where we left off, shall we?

Miss Belle Blake and Captain Jack Sparrow went to go visit Norrington to ask for the whereabouts of the Rising Sun. Needless to say, we find out that Norrington kind of has the hots for Belle, yet Belle manages to ruin his fantasies and save Jack from the gallows by lying about her and Jack eloping and being newlyweds. Right now they are resting in Norrington's quarters, and trying to work out sleeping arrangements. (winkity wink) So here you have it folks. Without further ado, Chapter Seven!

I'm a dishonest man, and you can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest, honestly. It is the honest ones you have to watch out for, because you never know when they are going to do something incredibly...stupid. -CJS

PineAppleLint

* * *

"That's not very nice," Jack murmured, massaging his jaw. It had been a pretty hard smack. It had surprised him, for he didn't know Belle had it in her to accost him in such a way.

"Be a gentleman and sleep on the floor," she ordered, beginning to rearrange the sheets and pillows to her liking.

"That's the problem, luv," Jack said, "For pirates are no where near being gentlemen."

"You are absolutely right, Sparrow," she said, glaring at him, "Silly of me to ask such a small favor. I knew something of this sort wouldn't get through to your thick skull."

Jack raised his eyebrows at that remark and the lass was slowly beginning to annoy him. "Ye don't know what yer sayin', Miss Blake."

"I believe I was saying that you are a complete swaggering idiot, Mr. Sparrow," she retaliated, hands on her hips, not backing down an inch.

Sparrow did 'swagger' up to her at that instant, cornering her against the bed stand, so she hit it and the contents in it rattled. Belle's eyes widened as he pressed his body to hers.

"The way I see it," he began, "I am giving you this opportunity to find yer father's ship and start a new life. I don't find it fair to be sleepin' on the floor. Now from here on out I am yer captain and you are to obey me orders. Savvy?"

"I cannot follow orders I wish not to follow," she said, her voice wavering a little as his ring-clad finger began to trace the outlines of the veins in her throat.

"Perhaps I can convince you a little," Sparrow commented huskily and leaned in ever so slightly so his lips were near her ear, "And perhaps you will like what ye find."

"And maybe afterwards I shall hate you more than I do right now," Belle suggested.

"High unlikely, luv. No woman has ever passed up the chance to spend a night with Captain Jack Sparrow."

"Well, like I said before, there is a first for everything," Belle whispered.

"Hmm," he said, entranced by the milky complexion of her skin. She shivered a little as she felt his warm breath on her neck, and almost jumped with surprise and bewilderment when she felt his lips touch her throat. Slowly and deliberately, he began to kiss from her neck down to her shoulder. He knew he shouldn't be doing this to the poor gel, but there was something about her that made his blood run hot.

Belle closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the feeling of Sparrow, the smell of him, the way he was holding her at this very instant, but she forced herself to snap out of it. She pushed him away gently and said, "Are you done? Stop this intolerable behavior at once!"

"I'm far from done, luv," he said, his brown eyes dilating from lust.

"Oh no, you don't," she said, backing away from him ever so slightly, cursing herself. Why did she have to be trapped in the same quarters with Jack? All in all, this wasn't going to turn out well.

He grinned at her reaction, flashing his gold teeth. "All right, Miss Blake," he laughed, "I shall put an end to this evil behavior. As long as you let me sleep in the bed."

Belle frowned, for being in the same bed as Sparrow after that wasn't a wise idea.

"I have self-control," he said with a wink, "I shall not try to ravish you in your sleep."

"Well, I never!" she growled, taken aback.

"I just want a comfortable place to sleep!" he said, his voice getting a bit louder with frustration, "Is that so much to ask? Stop makin' a damn fool of yerself and stop makin' this a bigger issue than it really is. I'm just a tired man."

At least Jack Sparrow had the decency to leave out the part where he was a tired, AROUSED man, for that would have never given him a side of the mattress.

"All right," she said with a sigh, "Of course, Captain. I'm sorry."

"Aye, apology accepted," Jack said with a smile and sat on the side of the bed and took off his boots. Belle hesitantly got under the covers and turned her back to him. It was a cold night, and the small sheet did nothing for warmth. She lay there, shivering softly, curled up in a ball, desperately trying to get comfortable.

Belle felt the weight of the mattress give way as Jack Sparrow got in next to her. Suddenly she felt a pair of arms wrap around her. He pulled her close so that she was spooned up against him.

"What do you think you are doing?" she whispered sleepily.

"Ye looked cold, luv."

"Well at least you are not drunk this time, Captain."

"Aye. Now I can fully appreciate having a beautiful woman sleeping beside me," he teased, "Now go to sleep."

"Jack?"

"Yes, luv?"

"No funny business."

* * *

Belle awoke, yawning and stretching comfortably. She was, in fact, enjoying the feel of being so close to her Captain. His arms were still holding her possessively, and she rolled over so she could watch him. His kohl-lined eyes were closed, his lips plastered into a lazy smile, his brown dreads fanned out around his head.

At least he did keep close to his word. Jack did not try any funny business throughout the night.

"Evil monkey," he murmured in his sleep, tossing and turning a bit, "No monkey,hat, mine! My hat!"

Belle smiled, shaking her head slightly, and poked Jack in the forehead.

"Jack, wake up, it's only a dream," she said softly.

"My hat! Bastard..." he said sleepily.

"Oh yes, your hat. A lovely hat it was, too," she replied.

"Monkey stole it. Damn monkey..."

"I shall buy you a new one, a bigger one that could block out the whole Godforsaken sun."

"Belle...beautiful...body...just want..."

Her eyes widened a bit and Belle whispered, "What do you want?"

He then said something so obscene she had to stifle a gasp. Belle caught him grinning and he opened one eye, staring at her mischievously.

"You...you..." she sputtered, too shocked for words.

"Handsome devil? Bloody desirable pirate?" he suggested.

"Mangy cad was what I was going for!" Belle replied with a shake of her head, "You think you are so tricky, Captain. Well let me tell you, I can outwit you any day of the week!"

"Then give me a day of the week and prove it," Jack commented with a wink.

"Urgh," she said, obviously frustrated with him.

"Are ye really going to buy me a hat?" Jack asked while throwing on his coat and hat, then pulling on his boots.

"Yes, but first I would throw it in cow manure and have a carriage run it over."

"Ah, a present I shall treasure forever," he teased, "Now what bloody time is it?"

"Early. Many hours till dawn, I reckon," she replied, "Norrington wants to get us out of here before the sun rises."

"Yes, luv, I know. I was there when he said it, remember?" Jack said, "Now what is with Norrington being all friendly towards the likes of you?"

"Friendly? Why, because we are friends, of course," Belle said, as if he were stupid for asking such a thing.

"Ye know what I mean, Belle," he commented, "More friendlier than that."

"Oh..." She murmured, blushing slightly, "I think Commodore Norrington has wanted to court me ever since Elizabeth Swann turned him down. We had been friends for quite some time."

"You know Elizabeth Swann?" Jack asked, curious.

"We have met briefly. A very nice girl, if I do say so myself. He's planning to marry some Turner lad, I heard."

"Ah, Will Turner," Jack said, eyes distant, memories swarming his mind.

"What is it, Jack?" she questioned, "Are you and Elizabeth acquaintances?"

"Aye, we have met briefly, as well as her future husband."

"Tell me, Sparrow. Seems highly important."

"That is a tale for another time, Belle. We should fetch Norrington if we want to make it out of here today."

"Aye aye, Captain!" she said with enthusiasm, grabbing her coat and followed him out the door.

* * *

"The last we saw of them, they were about twenty miles south of the Isle de Muerta," Norrington commented and Jack's eyes darkened a bit. Belle of course, noticed this change right away but did not say anything.

"Thank you so much, Commodore," Belle said warmly, "How can we ever repay you?"

"The Rising Sun, as you know, has been taken over by some rogues. Just put a stop to them, for they have been wreaking havoc in every port in the Caribbean. Thankfully they haven't struck Port Royal yet."

"That is a blessing, to be sure," Belle agreed, "We best be off."

"Goodbye Belle. Best wishes to you and your...husband." At the word husband, Norrington made a bit of a funny face, as if it made him sick to even think that Jack Sparrow was her lover.

"Goodbye, James." She hugged him, and then followed Sparrow down the dock and onto the awaiting Black Pearl. It was a magnificent ship, and looked quite peaceful at the moment, sitting there while being hit by the first rays of dawn.

"Ah, good, the crew managed to get here bright and early," Jack mused as Gibbs came from below deck. He was followed by an interesting group of pirates. They were all filthy, grubby men. One even had a parrot, and there was a 'vertically challenged' pirate as well. The last of them to arrive from below was a dark skinned woman, quite pretty in fact, with long raven black hair. She and Gibbs seemed to be the points of authority when Jack wasn't around.

"Ah, Jack," Gibbs said, "She is back! We are going for the Rising Sun, aye?"

"Indeed," Belle replied politely, "Nice to see you again, Mister Gibbs."

"Ah, is this da daughter of Blackstone Blake?" the woman inquired, studying her.

"I believe I haven't met you before," Belle said, "What is your name?"

"Ana Maria," she replied, "Jack, is this yer latest catch?"

"Excuse me?" Belle scoffed, "I am no ones catch. You are quite rude."

"And you are quite prissy, Miss Belle. Now be so kind as to stay out of me way from now on, for I don't take kindly to rich snobs."

"Happy to oblige," she replied, "For I would rather not be around a dirty pirate whore."

"Ye stupid bitch," Ana Maria snarled and lunged at her, but some of the crew jumped to the rescue and held her back. Jack grabbed Belle's arm, whom was angry as well and was trying to defend herself.

"Women," Jack said with a groan, "Now I know why Gibbs always says its bad luck to have women aboard."

Gibbs nodded in agreement, adding, "Dreadful bad luck, sir."

"Man the braces! Ana Maria, take the helm! I want no trouble from the two of you on this voyage, for I will not hesitate to throw ye both overboard and rid this ship of its bad luck," Sparrow said, eyeing the two of them.

"Yes, sir," Belle replied and Ana Maria mumbled, "Aye, captain."

"Hoist the sails!" Jack ordered and the crew began to run about once more.

"What do you need me to do, Jack? I am sorry, but I do not really know what needs to be done," Belle said sheepishly.

"Wait here for a second," he ordered and she watched him walk off. Belle looked at the beautiful sunrise, watching the sky change colors, the mark of a brand new day and a new adventure.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and she spun around.

"Here," Jack said, thrusting a mop and pail into her hands, "Ye can start with this, and afterwards," he draped a few clothes over her shoulder, "Ye can mend these, and..." He handed her a few jars of preserves, "You can cook dinner for the crew. Savvy?"

* * *

Woowoo! (gets jiggy with it) Belle gets stuck with all the fun stuff. I just wanted to remind you that Happy Hour is still going on. Buy one rum, get two free! So while you are drinkin' yer bloody lights out, make sure to review! (gets jiggy with it a second time) 


	8. Splinters

Disclaimer: Hello, all! I am on Disney's most wanted list, for I have stolen Jack Sparrow for the day. Well, not really. I lied.

Author's Notes:

To all my reviewers, I want to give you a big hug. (gives you a big hug) I have even made up a song for all of you:

Reviewers rock! Doodee doo doo I have a sock! Doodee doo doo

Uh, yeah. That's all I have so far. Anyways, when we last left off, Jack Sparrow was giving Belle all the harsh chores to do aboard the Black Pearl. Will Belle be able to tolerate the hard labor? Read on, mateys!

PineAppleLint

* * *

Belle felt like a jellyfish that had been beaten senseless and placed into a sack of raw eggs. If she said this aloud, no doubt some bloke on the Pearl would call her a madwoman, but there was simply no other way to describe the way she ached.

Jack Sparrow had indeed kept her hands full, and she did every single job without fuss. Belle desperately wanted to be accepted as a crewmember, but the looks everyone kept tossing her way and the murmurs that reached her ears was enough to make her a bit uncomfortable. She was indeed out of place upon the Black Pearl, for the high toned and fancy daughter of one of the most respected men in Port Royal looked quite ridiculous scrubbing away at the deck, her clothing ruined and ripped, dirt smudging her cheeks and bits of her hair coming loose and falling over her eyelashes.

"Had enuff, luv?" Captain Sparrow had asked her, grinning at her state of distress.

"Of course not, Sparrow. I have got to earn my keep," she grunted as she began to scrub the wooden boards even harder.

"You are going ta be in pain, tonight, I assure ye that much," Sparrow said and winked, turned around, his arms flailing about and he swaggered off, but whirled to face her for an instant and added, "Oh, and I want our supper on the table by eight. The dinner hall should get a scrub down, too, I wager."

Belle grumbled and Jack let out a low chuckle as he made his way towards the helm, leaving her to go about her business. She stood up and immediately almost fell over. Her white baggy shirt was caught on one of the rough wooden planks on the deck.

"Havin' a bit o' trouble, Miss Priss?" Ana Maria asked her sarcastically as Belle tried to pry it loose.

Belle glared at her and hissed, "My name is Belle. That will be Miss Blake to the likes of you, Ana Maria!"

Ana Maria smiled and leaned over, examining her pail of water. "Tis dirty," she replied, "Ye won't want to clean da deck with dirty water, now would ye?" and instantly kicked the pail over, the water sloshing out and rivulets cascading down the wooden beams.

"You'll pay for that," Belle threatened as Ana Maria laughed and went to the helm to talk to the dear captain. Belle yanked her arm back and with one big tug, ripped it free. She sighed and examined the damage done to her shirt. The arm part had been torn off, so it showed her pale freckled shoulder. She instantly ripped the other one to even it out, and ended up with a short sleeved white shirt. She walked and began to refill her pail, getting a splinter in her bare foot. She let out a hiss and examined her foot. In some ways life on the sea was like walking around in bare feet. You enjoyed the freedom, but with it came splinters.

* * *

"Dinner is served," she said in a tired tone as she set down various vegetables, meats, and fish down at the table. The food was heaped high, and there was enough for the entire hungry Black Pearl crew and enough for a bit of leftovers.

The crew gathered round, salivating at the aromas it produced. They sat in the creaky wooden chairs and the ship swayed gently side to side in the current. Belle lit a few candles so they could actually see their plates, and she found Jack already digging into the slabs of chicken.

"Ahem," she said, clearing her throat and narrowing her eyes at him.

He looked up, a chicken leg partly dangling from his mouth and he mumbled, "What is it, luv?"

"Shouldn't we say a prayer?" Belle asked.

Jack stared at her as if she were sprouting wings and singing opera.

"And," she added evilly, "I believe the captain should lead us in prayer."

Ana Maria snickered and the crew's attention turned to him, staring with amusement.

Jack growled something and nodded his head, staring down at his plate. "Thank ye, Lord, for the grub and whatnot, and especially the rum. Amen."

"Aye, Amen!" the crew said and began to pass the food around, taking heaping spoonfuls. Jack took a drink of his mug and immediately made a funny face.

"What the hell is this?" he asked, staring into his cup.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead and replied, "Water, Captain Sparrow. Tis water. Have you forgotten what that tastes like? I think the rum has scattered your brain."

"No supper is complete without rum!" he roared, sitting up in his seat and staring at her defiantly.

"You drink it, or I shall toss the bottles of rum you have left overboard," she threatened. Belle saw his ring clad fingers twitch over his pistol and she grinned. Belle was managing to get on his nerves, which suited her just fine. He had put her through enough that day. He began digging into his meat once more and she walked over and placed a heaping spoonful of steamed vegetables onto his plate.

"Dammit, what are you doing?" he cried and stared up at her.

"Hasn't your mother ever told you to eat more vegetables?" she questioned sweetly, "Eat up, Jack. They are _mmm_ _mmm_ good for you!"

Ana Maria snickered once more and Belle turned to her and added, "You too, Ana Maria. You look a bit withered around the edges. Vegetables will do you good." Ana Maria scowled at her.

"Insult me again and I'll force feed you vegetables until ye heave," she snarled.

"Such a big threat for a woman who does not eat healthy," Belle said with a smile, "Now eat your vegetables."

Ana Maria growled and Jack said harshly, "Pipe down, Ana Maria. Belle, stop baiting her. I've had about enuff from both of ye!"

"Enjoy, gentlemen and milady, oh, no...I forgot. You all are savages. Nevermind. Enjoy anyway!"

When Belle left and shut the dining hall door, she could hear curses and fierce muttering coming from inside. She grinned and went to Jack's cabin and began rummaging through the clothes that were left on his bed. They were in desperate need of mending.

Belle managed to find a spare needle and thread in Jack Sparrow's desk drawers, then took the clothes and sat next to the helm, sitting cross legged and draping the clothes over her thighs, using the moonlight to help her see what she was doing. She worked quietly and busily, not breaking her concentration for a second. Belle knew it wasn't a good idea to bait the crew, for they were all she had at the moment, but she had enough of the rudeness and whispers behind her back that she had to put up with throughout the day.

She came across one of Jack's shirts and examined the many holes. How one man could mess up his clothes so much, she would never know. A bumbling fool like Sparrow could manage it easily, she thought. Belle lifted the shirt and she smelled the aroma that came off of the clothing. It was the smell of Jack Sparrow. Masculine, with the salt from the sea spray and from hard earned sweat. She found it exhilarating, and the cloth brushed her nose, causing her to sneeze.

"Excuse you," Sparrow remarked from behind her and she jumped at the sound of his voice.

"What do you want now, Sparrow?" she said, not bothering to look up at him.

"I don't find it common to see pretty lasses smelling my clothing," Jack remarked and ran his hands along the helm, looking up at the starry night sky.

She turned scarlet and said, appalled, "I was not!"

"Whatever ye say, luv. Nice night, isn't it? I was expectin' a bit o' fog, but it's as clear as glass."

"It's beautiful," she murmured, "Working out here always has its advantages."

"So, Miss Blake," he replied, "Do ye want to go home yet? Run back to yer rich life where everythin' is handed to you on a silver tray?"

"Hardly, Captain," she said, growing angry, "Who do you think you are, implying that I am a spoiled rich girl that has no adventurous life whatsoever?"

"It is true, aye?" Sparrow said, his eyes gleaming, "I am an honest man."

"Now I do not believe that," Belle muttered, beginning to work on his shirt once more.

He leaned in close and said, "How about ye come to my cabin and try out a bit of me imported rum?"

She was so surprised she pricked her finger on the needle, immediately bringing it to her lips and sucking on the wound.

"I do not believe I shall take you up on that offer, Sparrow," she seethed, "For you are a mangy scabberous dog, and I know that once you intoxicate me with alcohol you shall try to make me look like a fool."

"Captain Jack Sparrow doesn't have to use alcohol in order to intoxicate a woman, luv," he answered with a wink.

"You are so full of yourself!" she growled, and his eyes widened a bit in surprise as she stood up and pointed a finger in his face. "If you had to live one day as a rich man, you would not be able to last three minutes. My father helps govern Port Royal..."

"But he is not yer father, luv," he interrupted.

Belle stood there, mouth agape, blinking.

"You are without a doubt a rich snob, and it's a pity that ye fell into the hands of some rich bloke, for those land lovers spoiled ye rotten. You will never be a real pirate, Miss Blake, for yer old life will tarnish yer new one," Sparrow said matter-of-factly, his fingers moving rhythmically with his words.

"Do not judge me, Jack," she said angrily, "For today I have worked harder than anyone else on this damn ship!"

"That was one day, luv," he replied, "What about a week from now? A month? Ye shall wither away and dream of going back to yer lace and pearls once more."

"I will last," she growled, "Mark my words."

"So enlighten me, luv. Do ye know how to steer a ship? Man the braces? Disable a rudder chain? Pickpocket without mercy?"

"I...I shall learn in due time," she said, her voice faltering.

Sparrow began to chuckle, at her funny determination and her face filled with rage. "Finish those clothes, Belle. I want them clean and fresh by mornin'," he said and walked to his cabin, whistling to himself.

"Sure, I'll have them clean and fresh," Belle said furiously and picked up his shirt, waited until he entered his quarters and locked the door, then tore it to smithereens.

* * *

The next morning, the sky was gray and ominous. She pulled on her breeches, suppressed a yawn, and then made her way out onto the top deck. Mr. Gibbs caught sight of her and gave her a worried look, then hustled over to where she was standing.

"Mister Gibbs! What is wrong? You look like something is troubling you."

"Are ye mad, woman?" he wheezed, "By dawn, the 'hole crew found out what ye did to Sparrow!"

"What? Oh! You mean ruining all of his clothes?" Belle asked with a grin.

"He is goin' to get back at you, missy," Gibbs warned, "I don't doubt that for an instant."

"Then tell him to give it his best shot," Belle said with a cheery smile.

"Has the devil possessed you?" Gibbs asked, looking suspicious. Belle tried not to laugh, reminding herself that Gibbs was a very superstitious man.

"Of course not, Mister Gibbs. But I may have a devilish way about me," she commented and winked at him. Gibbs then looked a bit frightened and backed away slowly just as Jack Sparrow managed to storm up to her, looking pissed to the core.

"Hullo, Jack!" she said in a fake pirate accent, "How are ye doin' on this lovely day? Arghhh, matey!"

Jack grabbed the back of her neck and whispered into her ear with fury, "You and I need to talk. In my cabin. Now."

Before Belle could answer he was dragging her by the arm in the direction of his quarters.

"I just want to remind you that I do not like violence," she said lightly and he grunted in frustration, yanking her into his room and slamming the door shut.

"What the HELL is this?" Jack Sparrow shouted, pointing at the pile of his clothes that were ripped to shreds, almost as if someone went crazy with a machete.

"I was being creative?" Belle guessed, which caused his face to turn almost a cherry color, and he grabbed his pistol, his muscles jerking with the urge to shoot her.

"You are a bigger temptation then ye think you are, Belle," he growled.

"Oh really?" she said seductively, batting her eyelashes, "I think I already proved that when we were at Port Royal." She raised a hand to her head and gasped in mock desperation, "You just love the feel of my skin, Sparrow! You yearn for the touch of my lips! I knew it!"

The room was silent, eerily silent. The room was thick with it, and she opened her eyes to see Sparrow's reaction. Belle gaped at what she found, almost passing out from shock.

There was Sparrow, watching her, busily pulling off his shirt, giving her a view of tanned muscle from hard work under the sun, and scattered tattoos amongst his arms.

"What are you doing?" she whispered.

He grinned evilly and threw the shirt to the floor, staring into her wide eyes.

"I, luv," he said, "Am going to show ye just how much I yearn for yer touch. Savvy?"

* * *

Woowoo! (starts doing the Yay-Jack-Sparrow-Is-Half-Naked Dance) Evil cliffhangers rule! So remember to review, and when you do, you instantly get a free compass that doesn't point North! (winks) 


	9. Heated Moments

Author's Notes: Thank you so much for the reviews, and a big hug to everyone who was urging me to continue. This chapter's for you, mates! I went and saw the movie for the eighth time today, and it is so much better the eighth time! So I urge you all to go see it again, AFTER you read this chapter. (winks) And no, I am not a spy of Disney's, nor am I helping them make big bucks. If I was a spy, I would want big boots and goggles and my own parachute. Oh, and a pirate tracker.

Disclaimer: I stole a pair of Captain Jack Sparrow's boxers! WOO!

_The room was silent, eerily silent. The room was thick with it, and she opened her eyes to see Sparrow's reaction. Belle gaped at what she found, almost passing out from shock._

_There was Sparrow, watching her, busy pulling off his shirt, giving her a view of tanned muscle from hard work under the sun, and scattered tattoos amongst his arms._

_"What are you doing?" she whispered._

_He grinned evilly and threw the shirt to the floor, staring into her wide eyes._

"_I, luv," he said, "Am going to show ye just how much I yearn for yer touch. Savvy?"_

Now, please enjoy chapter nine, ye scoundrels! (still doing the yay-Jack- Sparrow-is-Half-Naked Dance)

* * *

"Um, Mister Sparrow, I mean, uh, Captain Sparrow," she stuttered, backing away from him and towards the door, "I did not mean to offend you by ruining your clothes. I just went crazy in the heat of the moment and..."

"Well, luv, I would like to see ye go crazy in the heat of the moment again," he said, watching her like a predator with those deep brown eyes, "But under different circumstances."

Her mouth formed a small 'o' and he grinned mercilessly. "All right, you caught me off guard," she said and backed up too far, slamming into the wall, her back pressed to it and she panicked as he began to swagger over to her slowly. "I think you can quit this little game of yours," Belle said softly.

"Who said I was playin', Miss Belle?" Jack asked and in a flash, had both of his hands on each of her shoulders, pinning her there.

"I know your type, Jack," Belle said with narrowed eyes, "I am not your strumpet, or whatever you blokes are calling it these days. I am not a whore, or some woman you can get your fill of and then throw overboard."

"Who said I would throw you overboard?" Sparrow asked with staged innocence, "After all, once we find yer father's ship, I will have fifty percent of the loot, am I correct?"

"Yes," Belle said, lowering her eyelashes.

"Am I payin' ye for yer services?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow at her, his gold teeth flashing in the dim lamplight.

"There are no services I am giving you, Sparrow," she said coldly, "And if there were, I sure hope you wouldn't."

"A shilling a night, 'ey? Does that sound good to you?" Jack said, running a finger down the crevice of her cleavage.

"I beg your pardon?" she gasped and yanked herself away from him, "You insufferable idiot!"

"What did I say?" Jack asked with an innocent pout, placing his hands on his lean hips.

"I cannot believe you are captain, let alone captain of the Black Pearl. Mister Cotton would make a better captain than you, and he cannot even speak!" She began to laugh hysterically and added, "Can you picture it? Mister Cotton's parrot, a better captain than Jack Sparrow will ever be."

Anger radiated off of Sparrow and she found him gritting his teeth, his hands clenched at his sides. Belle was actually finding that scene to be very rewarding. Catching the smooth captain off guard for a change, she thought with a grin.

"I was not surprised when I heard you had lost your ship to Barbossa," she continued, "And it was a miracle you even managed to get it back in the first place. Is that what they would call, oh, what's that silly phrase...blind luck?"

"Yer pushing it too far," he growled, his face growing solemn and enraged, losing that mischievous look it had possessed only seconds before.

"Pushing what too far, Sparrow? It is a good thing I'm coming up with all the plans around here, for it's a wonder the crew listens to a drunken fool. What did you do, Jack, pay them to listen to you? A shilling a night?"

Captain Sparrow let out a snarl and with one quick movement shoved her against the wall again. She gasped from astonishment as he grabbed his pistol and placed it to her head. Belle stared at Jack in silent bewilderment and Jack gazed back, his eyes flashing.

"You think this wise, lass? Makin' a pirate ravin' mad?"

"It is better than being stuck in bed with you, Captain," she spat.

"Ye have already been in bed with me, Miss Blake, and ye seemed to find it quite cozy," he murmured and ran the pistol barrel across her cheek, the cold metal making her shiver.

"That was before I knew you were such an ass," she argued, biting her lip to keep from hollering out curses and getting the whole crew's attention.

"An ass, ye say? Well perhaps I can change yer mind, Belle, for I think ye enjoy me company a bit more than ye would like to admit. How about it luv?" he said to her ear, "Free of charge."

"No damn way. I would not like to spend my evenings with a lowly pirate," she growled and then clamped her mouth shut as his face changed. His expression grew hard and steely.

"Ah," he murmured, putting his pistol back in its holster, "So that's it."

"What, Sparrow?" she asked in irritation.

"Ye think ye are of higher class than me, is that it? Well, ye have pirate's blood in yer veins, lass, so what does that make you?"

"I..."

"Ye are nuthin but a spoiled bitch, Miss Belle, and I think from now on ye should keep yer comments to yerself, or I may just give in to me urges and shot ye on the spot. Savvy?"

He turned and took big long strides across the room, grabbing his shirt and was about to open the door and storm out when Belle stepped in front of it, blocking his way out.

"Move," he seethed, his goatee braids waving and his trinkets jingling.

"I am sorry."

"What?" Jack asked, his arms falling to his sides, his fingers unclenching. It was if he was surprised that she even apologized on the spot.

"I did not mean the harsh things I said. And..." Belle paused, her cheeks growing red, "in some ways you are more of a gentleman than any other pirate I have heard about."

"What the 'ell are ye talkin' about?"

"Well, some pirates would not have hesitated to rape me on the spot or beat me when I talked back. You are different Sparrow, and perhaps one of the best captains I know."

"Luv," he said, the corners of his mouth twitching as he tried not to smile, "I am the only pirate captain ye know."

"Besides the point," she said stubbornly, "I..."

Jack interrupted her by leaning in and placing his lips on hers. Belle gasped under his mouth, but relaxed and wrapped her arms around him. Sparrow's expert hands went to work, running over her curves, his fingers entwining in her hair, moving alongside her cheekbones. His tongue demanded entry and she opened her mouth a little, and then there was a blur of lips and teeth. He ravaged her lips until she was out of breath. Jack's hands clamped around her hips, and she felt him shudder as her hands ran up his tanned bare chest. Finally he took a step away from her, breaking the long, hot kiss and passionate embrace. Belle leaned against the wall, chest heaving, pulling up her sleeve, which had been ripped in the blind urge to touch each other.

His soft brown eyes were glazed over with desire and he leaned in close to her, whispering seductively, "Don't think I'm a gentleman, Miss Blake. Ever since we began this talk in me cabin, I've wanted to throw ye to the floor and ravish you so ye wouldn't be able to stand fer a week."

He grinned as her eyes widened and he turned on his heel, throwing his stained shirt back on and opened the door, yelling, "Hoist the sails, ye scabberous dogs! Get to work, or I'll feed ye to the sharks meself! Savvy?"

Captain Jack Sparrow turned in the middle of the doorway. Looking back at her in his dimly lit cabin, he winked, and then closed the door as he began to sing his favorite song to himself.

"Drink up me 'earties," he muttered, knowing that having Belle on the Black Pearl was going to be a greater temptation to him than he had ever known. Well, besides rum.

* * *

Late at night, Belle was busy making the crew a couple shirts out of some more fabric she found from down below, and managed to make Sparrow a few as well. She felt a bit guilty about ruining his entire wardrobe, yet she would never forget that look on his face when he had stared at that pile of mangled clothing on his bed.

The night was quiet, and she began to wonder where everyone was. No one was above deck, and the anchor had been lowered. She stared at the full moon and set down the clothes, stretching as she stood. Where the hell was everybody?

Belle suddenly perked up and strained to listen. Yes, it was Sparrow all right, and the crew. They were all singing that blasted song of his.

She smiled and gathered up her sewing tools, then went down the stairs to see what the hubbub was about.

"Belle!" Gibbs slurred as she entered the Mess Hall, "Come join the festivities!"

Everyone was gathered around the table, holding their own mug of rum and a few playing cards. Jack was at the head of the table, eyeing his cards carefully then looking up at her with a small smile.

"What is the big celebration about?" Belle asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Just playin' a drinkin' game, Miss Blake," Ana Maria said with sarcasm, "Somethin' society girls shouldn't get involved in. It would put a black mark on yer record."

Belle frowned and Jack said, "Ah, Ana Maria, be nice to the lass. She doesn't have to join in if she doesn't want to." Jack Sparrow then glanced up at Belle, grinning as he added, "But the lass is known to take risks." He threw down his cards and crossed his arms, his boots perched up on the table in a relaxed state.

Everyone else dropped their cards and stared at her, awaiting her reaction. Belle grinned devilishly, reached over Ana Maria, grabbed her mug of rum, and downed it in a few gulps. She then tossed the empty mug back at Ana Maria, who was scowling, and Belle curtseyed as she let out a huge belch.

The men cheered and a few shouted, "Good show!" or "There ye go, lass!"

"Now if you'll excuse me," Belle said with a wink, "I've got to get a head start on the laundry tomorrow." She began to walk away but as she past Jack, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into his lap.

"What is it, Captain?" she asked, eyes twinkling.

"A lass doesn't down half a bottle o' me rum and get away with it," he said in good humor, "Forget the damn laundry. Yer stayin'."

* * *

An hour or two later, each and every one of them were smashed except for Sparrow, who could hold his liquor like no other.

"Who won this round?" Ana Maria slurred, squinting her eyes as she peered down her mug.

"Uh, let's see, I think it was Fibbs, uh, I mean, dammit, I don't know what I mean. I forgot what I was goin' to say," Belle said with a hysterical giggle.

Belle was about to take another sip of rum when Sparrow grabbed the bottle from her and said, "I think you've had enough, missy."

"Ah, spoil my fun," she said and looked down at the table, then picked up a fork and examined it closely.

"See somethin' ye like?" Sparrow asked in amusement, holding her still on his lap so she wouldn't fall off.

"Ever think of how funny the word 'fork' is? It is quite humorous. Foorrrrrkkkkkkk," she said slowly and began to crack up.

Mister Gibbs said sleepily, "I think it's about time I get me some shut eye," then passed out face down onto the table.

"Sweet dreams, Gibbs," Ana Maria said and tried to pat him on the back, but missed a couple of times and ended up patting the table or his head.

"Rum in the gallows, rum in the gallows," Mister Cotton's parrot squawked.

"I'm so sick of that damn bird," one of the crew muttered and eyed it fiercely, "its bad luck, that creature is."

"I can help," Belle said and sneaked her arm around Jack's waist and grabbed his pistol. She tried to aim it at the bird and before Sparrow could snatch it away from her, a shot rang out and a bullet was lodged into the far wall.

"Stop blowin' bloody holes in me ship!" Jack cried and grabbed it from her, wringing it from her hands, "All right, that's enough for you, Miss Blake. To bed with ye!"

"Ah, will you be joining me?" she asked with a wink and some of the crew hollered at her seductive remark.

"The captain's havin' some company tonight, gents!" one man cried and the rest hooted.

"I think not, mates. Ye all go and get some shut eye yerselves," Jack ordered.

"What are you, their mum?" Belle questioned and the crew laughed.

"Mommy!" someone hollered and the drunken men began to giggle once more.

"That's it," Jack said, shaking his head and threw Belle over his shoulder, beginning to climb the stairs.

"Hey!" she cried and a few of them called out some obscene comments as Jack carried her off into his quarters.

"Ye will be heavin' it all up tomorrow, luv," he said as he laid her down on his bedspread, "And ye will deserve it, ye fool."

"Yes, but I'm a fool ye happen to like," she pointed out, yawning contently.

He ran a finger through one of her curls and she watched him in curiosity.

"Jack, have ye ever loved anything else beside yer rum?"

"The Black Pearl."

"Besides that," Belle said sleepily.

"The ocean," he said with a grin, his finger trailing down her throat.

"Besides that," she repeated.

"I don't know what ye are askin', luv, for I love a great deal of things, but..." he stopped when he realized she was snoring.

"Hellcat," he murmured and watched her for a moment, then pulled on his hat and sat in the chair across from the bed, resting his boots up on the mattress. He heard her let out a little moan in her sleep and his blood went hot. If he knew what was good for him, he would have to keep a distance from Belle. But that was Sparrow's downfall. He always did have a weakness for feisty women.

After a half hour of making sure she didn't wake up and start destroying his ship, he slowly drifted off to his own dreams. They were usually full of new adventures and sparkling treasure, but the one he was possessed with that night was of the burning touch of a certain woman. Belle was even haunting his dreams.

* * *

Jack awoke early, as always, but his skin was slick with sweat and his heart beat was fast and rapid.

"Damn her," he muttered, standing up and leaning in the doorframe for a moment, watching her as she breathed deeply in her sleep. Sparrow shook his head and then made his way towards the helm. Sparrow always went to the helm of his beloved ship when he had to ponder hard about something, or when he wanted to watch the sunrise.

He ran his hands along the dark wood, caressing it like a lover. In a few minutes, dawn would break and the sun would gleam over the waves, casting new colors across the heavens like a painter with his pallet. Jack spent many mornings like this one, just gazing at the sky.

Sure enough, the sky began its vivid transformation, changing from blue to yellow, pink to a dazzling red.

"Now bring me that horizon," Sparrow murmured.

* * *

Now remember to review and tell me what you think, mates! I love hearing from you. : ) 


	10. Molding Her Piracy

Author's Note:  
  
We meet again! Whoop whoop! Sorry it took so long to update this story, but now updates shall continue regularly. And for all you "Meeting His Match" fans: I am starting to research for a sequel! There will be many INTERESTING things ahead, mates! I have kept you without any kind of update for so long, so please, without further ado, enjoy Chapter TEN!  
  
PineAppleLint  
  
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~  
  
Where we left off in case you forgot.........  
  
Jack awoke early, as always, but his skin was slick with sweat and his heart beat was fast and rapid.  
  
"Damn her," he muttered, standing up and leaning in the doorframe for a moment, watching her as she breathed deeply in her sleep. Sparrow shook his head and then made his way towards the helm. Sparrow always went to the helm of his beloved ship when he had to ponder hard about something, or when he wanted to watch the sunrise.  
  
He ran his hands along the dark wood, caressing it like a lover. In a few minutes, dawn would break and the sun would gleam over the waves, casting new colors across the heavens like a painter with his pallet. Jack spent many mornings like this one, just gazing at the sky.  
  
Sure enough, the sky began its vivid transformation, changing from blue to yellow to pink to a dazzling red.  
  
"Now bring me that horizon," Sparrow murmured.  
  
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~  
  
A cool, moist cloth was pressed to her forehead and she groaned softly.  
  
"Jack?" she asked in a pained whisper.  
  
"No, Miss Priss, yer knight in shinin' armor isn't here right now," a gruff female voice proclaimed.  
  
Belle's eyelids flickered open and she came face to face with a frowning Ana Maria. Ana's face was smudged with dirt and her wild raven locks were plastered to her forehead as if she had just come from being hard at work above deck.  
  
"Where's Jack?" Belle questioned and winced, her head hurting like mad and her skin feeling cold and clammy.  
  
"He's captainin' his ship like he's supposed to. Ordered me to come in an' check on ye. He's been actin' strange. What the hell did ye do to him?" Ana Maria's tone was harsh and unforgiving, only adding nervousness to Belle's distressed and sick state.  
  
"For goodness sakes, keep it down," Belle pleaded, "I had a little too much rum last night."  
  
"An' acted like a downright fool," Ana Maria pointed out with a glare, "I don' appreciate some stuck up princess climbin' aboard and instantly thinkin' she owns the place."  
  
"What? Ana Maria, this is nonsense!"  
  
"Jack has taken a likin' to ye and has cut ye some slack. I, on the other hand, won't be so forgivin'," she threatened, "Ye will work yer ass off as long as ye stay on the Pearl, aristocrat o' not."  
  
"And I would not think otherwise," Belle said tiredly, "I must earn my keep." She tried to sit up in bed but Ana Maria just pushed her back down.  
  
"Ye have a fever. Ye stay in here today, Jack's orders," Ana Maria informed her.  
  
"Well Miss Maria," Belle spat in a fed-up tone of voice, "After that little lecture of yours, I suppose I should be working today. So if you'll excuse me......." And Belle slowly, painfully leaned over the side and began to pull on her shoes.  
  
"Ye better listen to me, ye stupid twit," Ana snarled.  
  
"Fuck off," Belle growled and her eyes widened instantly. Such harsh words to be coming from such a prim and proper woman! She hadn't been raised to use such vile language! But some part of her felt good at witnessing Ana Maria's startled reaction.  
  
Narrowing her eyes, Ana Maria stomped off to the door, opened it, and yelled, "I need some assistance, Cap'n!" and slammed it shut once more.  
  
Belle moaned and held her head, the loud noises not making her headache any better. She leaned against the bedpost, feeling a bit dizzy right as Jack Sparrow barged in, not looking pleased.  
  
His deep brown eyes scanned the room, taking in his surroundings. He saw Belle fully dressed and his eyes narrowed when his gaze reached Ana Maria, who had her arms folded and looked cross.  
  
"I thought ye were to follow me orders," Jack said solemnly.  
  
"That ruddy lil' bitch isn't listen to one word I say! Even told me to fuck off, she did!" Ana argued, "So I'm through with actin' as babysitter."  
  
"Did she now?" Jack asked, intrigued, slowly running his fingers along his goatee, "I see."  
  
"She is tellin' me I'm lazy, so I am working today whether you like it or not, Captain!" Belle said and took one step towards the door. Her dizziness instantly doubled, causing her to lose her footing and fall.  
  
Before she could hit the ground, Jack caught her gracefully in his arms, picking her up and carrying her to bed once more.  
  
"I really do protest!" she murmured weakly and Jack grinned, lying her down gently on top of the goose feather mattress.  
  
"Ye need yer rest, luv. Stay in bed today. For me?" Jack said and picked up her hand, kissing her fingers one by one, softly and seductively.  
  
Through the haziness of her sickness, Belle's heart rate still shot up and her lower abdomen burned with a heat Jack Sparrow always seemed to kindle inside of her.  
  
"All right," she whispered.  
  
"That's me girl," he said with a slow smile.  
  
Ana Maria snorted and left the room in disgust.  
  
He pulled the covers up around Belle and she said sleepily, "But tomorrow I will be at work with the lot of them, I promise. No duty of mine will be left undone."  
  
"I wouldn't doubt it for a second, Belle. Sweet dreams. Perhaps dream about me."  
  
"You have a very big ego," she retorted and yawned, her eyes slowly losing their focus.  
  
"Aye, the biggest in the Caribbean," Jack answered and by that time, she was already asleep.  
  
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~  
  
The next day drifted by lazily without problems, that is, until Ana Maria and Belle started to rub each other the wrong way again.  
  
Belle accidentally dropped a bucket full of fresh water, it hitting the deck with a loud thud and the liquid pouring onto the wooden surface.  
  
"Stupid cow!" Ana Maria said and pushed her out of the way as she walked by, "Ye wasted perfectly good water!"  
  
"I'm sorry," Belle sputtered, her eyes lowered in shame, "It twas nothing but an accident."  
  
"Any more accidents and I will have to have a talk with the Cap'n," Ana Maria said thoughtfully, but then frowned, adding, "But I don' think that will do much good, considering ye are sleepin' wit' him."  
  
"I am not!" Belle cried, "What hogwash!"  
  
"I bet that's why he's been so easy on ye. When I got on board the Pearl he made me work till me hands bled. Ye traded sex for a free ticket, hmm?"  
  
Ana Maria didn't even see it coming. Belle flung her fist and socked her square in the eye. Ana lost her balance and hit the ground with a thud.  
  
The crew paused with what they were doing and stared in open mouthed shock.  
  
Ana Maria unsheathed her sword and snarled, "Oh, yer goin' to pay for that one, missy!"  
  
"Belle!" one old man called, "Take this!" She glanced over and caught the sword hilt first which he had thrown in her direction. Staring at it, Belle shook her head. She didn't know how to handle a cutlass! Who did they think she was, anyways?  
  
Ana swung the sword at her and with a small cry she blocked the first blow, the tremor of the hit jolting up her arm. Ana whirled around and the swords clashed with such force, Belle lost her grip, watching in horror as the blade went flying through the air and hit the floor fifteen yards away. The crew laughed, making fun of her obvious lack of fighting skills.  
  
"This should teach ye for messin' with a pirate, society girl," Ana Maria stated and was about to fling the blade at her and wound her, but a hand grabbed hers in mid motion. It was Jack.  
  
"Now that's not very nice, ladies," he scolded playfully before turning around and yelling to the crew, "Back to work! All of ye!" Belle, her cheeks flushed with anger, brushed off her skirts and was about to scamper off until a rough hand caught her by the scruff of the neck.  
  
"Ye and I need to have a lil' talk, Miss Blake," Sparrow whispered into her ear.  
  
"Ana Maria, any more trouble and I see to it that ye swab the decks here on out," Jack said with a nod in her direction. Ana Maria grumbled an apology, sheathed her sword, and made her way up the crow's nest.  
  
Jack guided Belle down into the empty mess hall, shut the door, and motioned for her to have a seat.  
  
"I'll stand, thank you," she said crisply.  
  
"All right, then I'll get to the point," Jack stated with a flourish of hand movements, "Stop messin' with me crew o' else I will have to drop ye off at the next spit o' land we cross, savvy?"  
  
Belle gawked, "Ana Maria started it!"  
  
"And what did Ana say to upset ye so?" Jack asked, intrigued.  
  
Belle reddened and lowered her gaze.  
  
"Well?" Jack asked, crossing his arms.  
  
"I think such foul remarks should not be repeated," she said, holding her head high.  
  
"Ah, so that's it then. Was it about me?" Jack questioned wickedly, "Was it naughty?"  
  
"I do not have time for this," Belle said harshly and attempted to storm out of the mess hall, but Jack grabbed her arm and pulled her to him roughly.  
  
"Hmmm, it is quite fun playin' these games with ye, luv. It excites me."  
  
"That is it. I want off of this ship!" Belle shouted in exasperation, "No one takes me seriously! The crew hates me and all you do is sexually harass me!"  
  
"Ye want off o' the Pearl, missy? Then why didn' ye ask?" Jack said innocently and grabbed her before she could put up a fight, throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her out to the poop deck while she was kicking and yelling.  
  
"Let me down at once, Sparrow!" she screamed.  
  
He took her to the edge of the ship and held her there. If he let go, she would go tumbling into the raging waves of the fathomless, endless ocean.  
  
"Oh goodness, please don't!" Belle pleaded, "I didn't mean it! Honest!"  
  
The crew chuckled at the interesting display in front of them, giving it a quick glance and then carrying on with their duties.  
  
He dropped her onto the wooden deck without grace, so that she tumbled head over heels out of his arms.  
  
"Ye are weak, Belle. Miserable. Kind o' like an abused dog, ye are, with ye always scurryin' off with yer tail between yer legs."  
  
"That's wonderful," Belle sniffed, "How am I supposed to get my father's ship back and become a pirate when I don't even know the first thing about being one?"  
  
"That is where I come in," Jack winked.  
  
"And what do ye have to offer me, Jack Sparrow?" she huffed.  
  
"Everythin', luv! Pirate lessons from the best pirate known to man!" Jack said proudly, "How can ye pass that offer up?"  
  
"What is the catch?" Belle said uneasily, "There is always a catch when it comes to you."  
  
"Since ye don' seem very comfortable with the suggestion o' sleepin' with me," Jack said thoughtfully, "I would like ye to be me friend. I enjoy yer company, Belle. Perhaps when I teach ye a few things, ye can teach me a few things in return."  
  
"Like what? What knowledge would you possibly want to gain from me?"  
  
"I want to learn more about ye. I want to learn more about......." he paused, trying to think of a correct term, "Your way o' life. Or perhaps yer 'past' way o' life."  
  
"On what it's like to be an aristocrat?"  
  
"That's it, luv. Yes."  
  
"But you are a pirate. Why do you care?"  
  
"I visit a few places that don' accept pirates in a kindly fashion, if ye catch me drift. If I blended in with the high society folk, I wouldn' have any problems."  
  
"Blend in?" Belle laughed and tugged on one of his goatee braids to make a point.  
  
Jack narrowed his eyes and said, "So do we have an accord?"  
  
"Aye aye, Cap'n," she said with a warm smile, "Yes we do," and took his rough hand in hers, shaking it firmly.  
  
And that was the exact moment Belle knew she was starting a new life, never to look back again. To throw away her manners, her distinguished state of mind, and grasp something that meant more to her than anything else.  
  
Freedom.  
  
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~  
  
One and a half months later.............  
  
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~  
  
CLASH.  
  
"Watch yer step, dear Sparrow! I wouldn' want to see ye cry when I beat ye!"  
  
"Ye always did have too much sarcasm for yer own good, Belle," Jack Sparrow said and blocked her sword, "I always beat ye. No one can beat the infamous Jack Sparrow!"  
  
"Oh, go keelhaul yerself!" said through clenched teeth as his blade whizzed an inch past her arm, not cutting flesh but slicing a nice tear in her stained baggy shirt.  
  
"Mmm, a bit too close for comfort, Belle?"  
  
"I wouldn' be talkin', Sparrow, for that was yer own shirt ye just ruined!"  
  
Jack growled playfully and lunged at her, knocking her off of her feet, going down with her.  
  
They both landed on their backs next to each other, breathing hard and grinning foolishly.  
  
Jack was the first to speak, turning to her and propping his head up with his arm to get a better look at her: "Ye are getting better, luv. I'll be damned."  
  
"I'm a fast learner, what can I say?" Belle smiled and shrugged lazily, "So who won this round?"  
  
"I think it was a tie."  
  
Belle gasped mockingly and cried, "Oh dear! The infamous Sparrow TIED with a lass in a duel? That is unheard of! The world is ending! Pigs are flying! Up is down! Right is left! Woe is meeeeeee!"  
  
"I've had about enuff from ye!" Jack said and stood up, offering her a hand. She took it and got to her feet.  
  
"What are ye goin' to do about it?" she asked slyly.  
  
"Well, Blake, I would love to go another round but I have a ship to captain," Jack informed her and placed his hat on his head, tipping it in her direction.  
  
She brushed off her breeches and said, "Next time I will beat ye, Sparrow. Don't worry. That's a promise."  
  
"Don't make promises ye can't keep," Jack remarked and kissed the tip of her nose lightly, "Now go help hoist the sails. The wind has picked up."  
  
"Kiss me again and I will surely toss ye overboard while ye are asleep!" she said with a shake of her finger. He knew the rules. For weeks they had played nice and kept things between them strictly business. Friendly business. Now she wasn't so sure how to handle Jack's strategies and tricks. She had almost fallen for Sparrow's charms in the beginning, but as time wore on she got to know him as a person. The man behind the helm.  
  
Getting intimate could ruin everything. Was that a price she was willing to pay?  
  
But lurking in the back of her mind she knew the truth. Ever since she had met Sparrow, she had cared for him more than she would ever have liked to.  
  
"Luv," Jack sighed, "Ye definitely have more to learn."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"That was no kiss, ye sweet lil' virgin," Jack said devilishly, "Remember that kiss I gave ye a matter o' weeks back?"  
  
Belle gawked and said, "Well, yeah, I guess I do."  
  
Jack smiled and said, "Do ye want to know something important?"  
  
Belle nodded hesitantly, not knowing what to expect.  
  
Jack leaned in close so that their noses touched, his eyes growing darker, his gaze serious and enticing.  
  
Belle closed her eyes, half in fright and shock.  
  
The other in excitement and blissful pleasure.  
  
Two sides of her felt different emotions, one affecting the other like cause and effect, such as the sides of a scale. It just mattered what side would weigh more in Belle's bewildered mind.  
  
She felt his breath on her ear as he whispered, "The Pearl waits for no one. Get above deck and get to work."  
  
Belle's eyes opened in surprise as she said, "What else were you going to tell me?"  
  
Jack strutted through the doorway, whistling cheerfully. He stopped for a moment, turned to her and said evilly, "Wouldn't YOU like to know?"  
  
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~  
  
You know what to do! aRRRRRgh and ARrrrrgh! (psst: Read and Review!) I love hearing your thoughts. Constructive criticism is always welcome. 


	11. Curiosity

Disclaimer: Me no own..blahdeblahblahblah.....  
  
Happy New Year! Woot, dance like no one's watching. I am sorry for the delay, and I hope you enjoy this chapter and that it was worth the wait. Well, me fellow pirates, I shall not keep you any longer!  
  
PineAppleLint  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Belle curled up on her cot, engrossed in her book. Jack had leant it to her: 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' by William Shakespeare. It was absolutely a riveting tale. So riveting that she didn't even notice Sparrow watching her from the doorway.  
  
He couldn't help but stare, watching her eyes skim over the pages, her lips curled in an amused little half smile, her blonde hair cascading down her shoulders and gently caressing the pages of the book every time she moved her head.  
  
Jack reminded himself to take her to the little book shop in Tortuga once they managed to dock there in a few days. He was surprised as hell to find one in such a place, for it had practically been hidden in a hole in the wall. A book shop, he thought with a grin, that cannot be found except by those who already know where it is. He began to anticipate buying her a bundle, new books with clean, crisp paper, old ones that held many mysteries. He shook his head, thinking what a fool he was, wondering what extent he would go to just to see her face light up.  
  
The movement of his head jingled his trinkets, and her head shot up as the noise reached her ears.  
  
"Ah, Sparrow," she said, relaxing again, "You caught me off guard."  
  
"I see yer pirate's dialect has gone away, luv."  
  
She smiled warmly, saying, "I only do that for fun, Sparrow. Plus, it drives the crew mad to hear me butcher their slang in such a way."  
  
"I actually find it quite entertaining, really," Jack responded with a wink, waltzing over and sitting next to her on her little cot, "So, tell me, dear teacher, when shall our lessons in aristocracy begin?"  
  
"Jack, why do you want to learn about such manners? Surely you wouldn't be doing this for fun."  
  
He sighed and stared at the ceiling for a minute, as if debating whether he should tell her something.  
  
"All right," he groaned, "Last time I went to Port Royal, a friend o' mine invited me to be best man at his wedding. It should be in a couple o' weeks, luv, and I need some help in learnin' how to act more......." His hands flailed around, trying to search for the perfect word.  
  
"Refined? Civilized?" she asked, "Sober?"  
  
"Sober?" Jack repeated, arching his eyebrows. She laughed and hit him lightly on the arm.  
  
"You know what I mean," Belle said, setting down her book. He stared at it.  
  
"I was meaning to tell you, luv, we are headin' to Tortuga. We should arrive in two to three days, savvy?"  
  
"Savvy with me," she grinned, "Sounds adventurous and..... perhaps a bit frightening."  
  
"I'll protect ye from harm, bonny lass," he commented, puffing out his chest and inflating his ego.  
  
"How could you possibly protect someone when you'll be drunk and have a dozen women trying to charm the pants off of you?" Belle scoffed.  
  
"I guess yer right," Sparrow sighed, but pointed his finger in her face in a feminine way and added, "And Belle, I'm always the one that does the charming, not the other way around."  
  
"All the men back in Port Royal found me to be quite the charmer," she said with a mysterious smile, "Numerous gentlemen tried to court me, but I turned them all down."  
  
"Didn't know ye were quite the seductress, Miss Blake," Jack said with a wink.  
  
"Actually, I made that up," Belle sighed, "Always kept to myself, really. Never liked prancing about pretending like half my brain was squeezed out by my corset."  
  
"Ye don't have to act," Sparrow said slyly, "Ye already act like that anyway."  
  
She opened her mouth in surprise at his comment and socked him in the arm again.  
  
"Luv, yer bruisin' the handsome and built biceps," he pouted, his kohl rimmed eyes staring at her sorrowfully.  
  
"More like scrawny and bony to me," she laughed. He narrowed his eyes at her playfully and removed a canteen from his coat pocket, unscrewing the cap and taking a swallow.  
  
"Want some, luv?" he offered, holding it out to her.  
  
"Rum and I don't mix, remember?" she said with a shake of her head. She took the canteen and sniffed it, the contents smelling sweet and bitter all at once. Belle brought it to her lips and took a sip, her eyes immediately watering.  
  
"What the hell is that?" she coughed, all but choking.  
  
"Made it meself!" he said proudly, taking another gulp.  
  
"Oh God, I am poisoned!" she moaned and he chuckled, wiping his mouth and placing the canteen back where it came from.  
  
"So," she said and laid back on her cot, yawning, "Tell me about this wedding. Who would invite a pirate to a wedding?"  
  
"A eunuch."  
  
"Ah, Jack, you are getting married? How precious!"  
  
He grabbed her foot and began running his fingers along the bottom it, watching with pleasure as her face flushed and she bit her lip, trying not to laugh.  
  
"Stop, it tickles," she finally demanded between bursts of laughter, wriggling her slender foot in his grasp.  
  
"I already told you I was going to be the best man," Jack said, beginning to massage her feet, his rough fingers slowly working on her tense muscles.  
  
Her eyes fluttered shut and she murmured, "So who is this man?"  
  
"William Turner. Getting married to Elizabeth Swann. Quite the pair those two make. The governor's daughter and a young pirate."  
  
"Miss Swann! She is such a kind human being," Belle stated, "But I haven't had the chance to meet her fiancé."  
  
"Well, would ye like to?" Sparrow questioned, his fingers pausing. She looked down to find him placing them on her toes and wiggling them.  
  
She smiled. "Sure, though I do not see how that could be arranged."  
  
"Come with me to the wedding, luv," Sparrow all but asked, "I need a pretty girl decorating me arm. Make the rest of the men jealous."  
  
"Decorating? I am no decoration of yours, Jack Sparrow," she huffed, her small smile betraying her arrogance.  
  
"So is that an aye?" Jack said, massaging once more. She let out a little groan of content and he grinned.  
  
"At the moment, it would be a little hard to say no," she admitted.  
  
"Wonderful, Miss Blake. Now tomorrow I would like to start on those lessons, aye? Or whatever the hell ye want to call them." He stood up and stared down at her sleepy face.  
  
"Mmmmhmmm......" she murmured, "Of course, Captain......"  
  
"And I wanted to make a few conditions as well as long as ye are going to teach me."  
  
"Conditions....." she yawned, "Splendid......."  
  
He stared down at her and found her drifting off to sleep. He blew out the flame of the dripping yellow candle and brought her arm that was hanging over the side of the cot to her side.  
  
"G'night, lass," he whispered with a grin, gazing down at her figure traced with moonlight. Leaning over, he pressed his lips to her forehead and walked out of the room, closing the door, and ran right into Gibbs.  
  
"I don' know why ye ever let that lass aboard, Jack," Gibbs muttered, "She's frightful bad luck, that one. I can feel it in me bones."  
  
"Ah, she's not that bad. Come now, Gibbs, stop with this bad luck superstition business."  
  
"So that she-devil has gotten to ye now, has she?" Gibbs sighed with a shake of his head, "A shame, that's what it is."  
  
Jack laughed and patted his old friend's back, "I assure ye, that woman is anything but bad luck."  
  
"Sure, that's what I thought ye'd say once I caught ye sneaking out o' her room late at night," Gibbs said with a wink, "Jack, can't ye leave the poor lass alone? Even if she may be bad luck, I know a virgin when I see one."  
  
"We talked, Gibbs," Jack said, glaring at the older man, "Nothing happened. I didn't have me way with her."  
  
"If the winds stay fair and a storm don't blow us off course, we will be arrivin' in Tortuga in two days time," he informed his captain.  
  
"Good. We need to stock up on supplies," Jack said, walking towards the helm with Gibbs following close behind.  
  
"Ye've been so tense, Jack. Perhaps a good night with Scarlet o' another one o' yer willin' girls will do the trick."  
  
"Perhaps," Jack said with a cocky smile, "Go get some rest. Ye'll need yer strength over the next couple o' days."  
  
"Aye. G'night, Jack."  
  
Sparrow nodded to him as he disappeared below deck and his cocky smile disappeared. It had been a while since he spent the night with pleasurable company, and frankly, he was feeling restless. He had a usual routine in Tortuga. Right when they docked, they'd get supplies. He'd then go drinking with the crew as the sun set, find an eager woman either on the streets or in the tavern, and rent out a room so they could do their business until the wench fell asleep and he slipped out unnoticed. He never looked for attachments or 'good mornings'.  
  
Now that Belle was coming along, his routine would be ruined. He was a little uncomfortable with that fact, but what was a man to do? Perhaps he would show her the town for a while, then buy her a drink and let her mingle with the crew.  
  
In other words, leave her to her business so she would be able to leave him to his.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Jack was nodding off to sleep, his fingers slowly drifting off of the helm when he heard a scream. He jerked awake, his eyes darting back and forth across the deck. Had he imagined it? It sounded like..  
  
Belle.  
  
He had never ran so fast in his life, almost tripping as he fled down the stairs and throwing open her door, revealing her thrashing around in her cot. It was a miracle she hadn't fallen out yet. By the looks of things, she was sinking into the deepest realm of the nightmare world.  
  
"Belle!" he said, sitting next to her and shaking her, "Wake up!" Her arms flew out and she socked him square in the face. He shouted in pain and grabbed her wrists, pinning them to her chest.  
  
She was murmuring unintelligible words and Jack ordered, "Come on, lass. Enough's enough!"  
  
Belle stilled and her eyes opened. Covered in sweat, she panted, her eyes wide and resembling those of a wild animal.  
  
"Jack," she said softly, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I woke you...."  
  
"Shhhhh, luv," he said, taking her into his arms, rocking her slightly, "It's all right. Jack's here."  
  
He looked down and realized there was blood on his hands. His eyes widened and he grasped her arms again, staring down at them.  
  
The scar on her wrist was bloody and blistered, as if it was fresh. She stared down at it and she cried out, jerking her arm out of his hold.  
  
"Did ye do that, luv?" he asked seriously, "Did ye do that to yerself?"  
  
"No!" she whispered, "I did not. In my dream, there were shadows around me. I couldn't see their faces but I could feel them." She paused. "They branded me, held me down."  
  
"But luv, that's only a dream. How did tha' lil' wound happen?" he pointed at her arm.  
  
She held her wrist protectively. "I have no idea."  
  
"Let's get that cleaned up," he said, leading her out to the dining hall. He rifled through some cloth and grabbed some alcohol. She sank into a chair in the meantime, purely exhausted.  
  
He kneeled before her and took her arm after dipping one of the fairly clean cloths in the alcohol.  
  
"It's going to sting," he warned.  
  
"Just get it over with," she sighed.  
  
He held the cloth to her angry wound and she hissed through her teeth. He grinned and said, "Not so bad, eh?"  
  
"No," she muttered through clenched teeth.  
  
"Actually, yer doin' quite good, considerin' every time I have to fix up Jack after one o' his brawls, he acts like a baby, shoutin' and cursin' up a storm." They turned to find Ana Maria approaching, looking faintly curious. "What happened here?"  
  
"She 'ad a disturbin' dream and woke up like this," Jack replied, beginning to wrap her wrist carefully.  
  
"I n'er knew ye were the type to cut yerself," Ana Maria said, squinting at Belle.  
  
"I don't," Belle said, "In my dream they were branding me."  
  
Ana Maria quirked an eyebrow, fear flooding her eyes. "It happened through yer dreams?"  
  
Belle nodded and Jack smiled, saying, "Mr. Gibbs isn't the only superstitious fool on the Pearl."  
  
"Jack, she be a witch or somethin'!" Ana Maria said with disbelief, "I never 'eard of somethin' of this sort happening before!"  
  
"There's always a first time for everything," Belle said, smiling weakly.  
  
Jack put the supplies away and patted the cautious Ana Maria on the back. "Don' worry, lass, she's no witch."  
  
"Are ye all right, lass?" Jack asked, "Because I have some work to do. The sun's about to rise."  
  
"Don't worry about me," she said with a wave of her hand, signaling him to go ahead and go, "Just a scratch."  
  
He smiled, winked at her, and exited the room. Belle listened closely, hearing the creak of the stairs as he made his way up them.  
  
She turned to find Ana Maria staring at her. "What?" she questioned with a frown.  
  
"I knew it," she stated simply, shaking her head, "I knew this would happen."  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
"Ye like the Captain, lass, a little more than ye want anyone to think."  
  
"He is a fine Captain and a wonderful friend," Belle pointed out, sinking back in the chair once more, massaging her temple.  
  
Ana Maria laughed. "I can always tell when ye have been talkin' to that man, because yer cheeks get all rosy and yer eyes light up."  
  
Belle sputtered and no words came out, even if she was trying to defend herself.  
  
"That's what I thought," she replied, "Sparrow always gets to the ladies."  
  
"I see he hasn't gotten to you," Belle said, lifting her chin to stare at her directly in the eyes.  
  
"Oh, believe me, dearie," she chuckled bitterly, "He and I go way back. Let's just say we've been friends with benefits."  
  
Belle's eyes must have widened and Ana Maria chuckled again. "Just think about it, lass," she stated, "Jack was always quite the seducer, and bein' in the middle o' the ocean with no whorehouse at hand, he turned to me."  
  
"I'm sorry," Belle replied, wondering why Ana Maria made it sound like she was a victim.  
  
"Ah, don't be sorry for me, luv," Ana replied, smirking, "No need to be sorry for me anymore. It seems like he's had his eye on someone else now for quite some time. Ta." She turned on her heel and was about to leave, until Belle blurted out, "Why would it be so bad to be Sparrow's lover?"  
  
Ana Maria turned slowly, saying softly, "Because, me dear, once you've been in his bed, he knows."  
  
"Knows what?"  
  
"That ye won't ever be able to say no to him again."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ooooh! Curiosity killed the cat! Or..hmmm..the Belle? Ah, it's late. After you review, go celebrate! It's 2004! Drinks all around! 


	12. Caught in the Act

Disclaimer: Anything created by Disney is not mine.  
  
Hope you enjoy!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
She ran her dainty hands through his matted deep brown hair, along those thick dreads, and sighed. His appearance would need a bit of freshening up if he wanted to clearly be the best man. Jack sat in the creaky wooden chair in the galley and sighed in annoyance, getting restless like a small child wanting to finish his studies and go outside to play.  
  
"I don't know what I am going to do with you," Belle said lightly, her eyes alert and her lips turned downward in a concentrated little frown, "Something has to be done."  
  
Sparrow replied wearily, "I don't know what ye mean, luv. I'm in tip top condition! The perfect example of masculine handsomeness! The hero of..."  
  
She yanked on his hair and he yelped, immediately quieting. "Maybe if we take these out," she commented, running a finger along his trinkets, causing them to jingle, "You will actually look a bit more civilized."  
  
"But I like those," he pouted, crossing his arms and looking cross. His brown eyes held mock sadness in them, as if he couldn't bear to part with the tiny treasures nestled away in his bird's nest he called hair.  
  
"Let me remind you," Belle stated, putting a finger under his chin and turning his head so he would face her, "The Royal Navy in Port Royal has a fair amount of money offered for your head, Captain Jack Sparrow, the biggest pirate threat in the Caribbean."  
  
"It's not me fault that they dislike me so," he muttered, "They have sticks shoved up their asses, the lot of them..."  
  
"And something has to be done with your dialect," she murmured, smiling at his uneasy demeanor. He was practically writhing under her stare.  
  
"I don't like it when ye look at me like that," he grumbled, "It's like ye are picturin' me in a dress and reciting poetry."  
  
She laughed then, tickled at his remark. "Who said I wasn't?" she answered, cocking an eyebrow.  
  
He made a grab for her and she screeched, jumping away. Belle wagged a finger at him. "We are not finished."  
  
"How long does this bloody take?" Jack sighed, "It's not fun with ye standin' here, analyzin' me and me barbaric ways."  
  
"I don't think you a barbarian, Captain. Just a drunken idiot."  
  
He crinkled his nose at Belle, showing her that he didn't find her insult very amusing. Jack sighed then and polished his interesting rings on his fingers onto his coat, slouching farther down into his chair.  
  
"Sit up," she demanded, "A gentleman always has perfect posture."  
  
He rolled his eyes and did as he was told, even folding his dirty hands in his lap. "Oh, Belle, this main course is so extravagant!" he mocked in a high, stuffy accent, "The cooks are absolutely divine."  
  
"Cut that out," she said, eyes twinkling, "Now, I suppose there will be dancing involved. You will have to learn. And..."  
  
"Hold up there one minute!" he cried, putting up his hands to stop her mid-sentence, "Who said I couldn't dance?"  
  
"Well..." she replied, flustered a bit, "I just assumed..."  
  
"Never assume, luv," he winked, standing up and stroking his goatee, "This calls for a demonstration."  
  
"I don't think that is absolutely necessarYYYY!" she stammered but the end of her sentence sounded like a war cry when he grabbed Belle by the hands and whirled her around before setting her flush against his body.  
  
One hand on her waist, the other entwined with her own, he began to twirl her around without any sense of rhythm or gracefulness. Belle couldn't help but wince.  
  
He stepped on her foot and she cried, "Ow! Watch it!"  
  
He snorted, "Well watch where ye are goin', lass!"  
  
She giggled and pointed to the chair, stepping away from him in order to save herself from any more clumsy incidents. "Sit down," she ordered, feeling frazzled by his spastic dancing.  
  
"What? Too exhausted for more?" Jack frowned.  
  
"We are going to have to put dancing on the list of things to work on," she huffed, "I'd rather not dance with you and end up with a fatal concussion!"  
  
"Well I never!" he retorted, his high pitched snobbish accent coming back to haunt her.  
  
"Now, we are going to have to work on table manners," she said a loud and he groaned, "For yours are simply atrocious. Waltzing will come next and perhaps..."  
  
"Land ho!" interrupted the shout from above, "Tortuga's on the horizon!"  
  
Jack jumped out of his seat and ran for the stairs. "Duty calls!" he yelled over his shoulder.  
  
"I'm not through with you yet!" she shouted back, grinning. These lessons were going to take a lot out of her, and knowing that in advance made her a bit timid about the whole process of teaching Sparrow chivalry and plain good old fashioned manners. In fact, Belle thought with her smile widening, as long as that process involved Sparrow, she was going to look forward to it.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A half hour later, Sparrow was steering the Black Pearl carefully into Tortuga's small bay.  
  
"Let down the anchor!" he bellowed.  
  
"Aye aye!" the crew hollered back and immediately began to deliver out that task. Belle emerged from below to watch what was going on. The wind had picked up, and her golden locks were flying over her eyes. She grabbed at her tresses and managed to create a sloppy bun at the back of her head. Jack caught her eye and winked at her in reassurance.  
  
Ana Maria said, "Ye think you'll be able to handle it, dearie?" as she walked casually up to Belle, noticing her concerned gaze towards the island. It was growing dark and lights from windows and streetlamps were causing the town to glow.  
  
"I'll manage," Belle replied with a weak smile. And to do that, I'll have to stick close to someone who actually knows how to really defend themselves from delinquents and thieves, she thought with an inner grimace.  
  
Belle looked down at her simple lavender dress with lace trimming. "I do not think I am dressed the part," she added with worry. Ana Maria laughed and said, "How about you come with me? Ye need to get dressed back into those clothes ye were wearing a week or two ago. Jack's are too big for ye. I may have somethin' ye can borrow."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Once Belle stepped out onto deck again, she felt relieved and ready to face Tortuga and its excitement, its raw ruggedness. She wore black boots similar to Jack's light brown ones, with dark forest green breeches tucked into them, and a cotton off white shirt that fit her wonderfully. Ana Maria and Belle shared the same size in clothing. A floppy black hat topped off the ensemble with a tiny red feather extended from it.  
  
"There ye go," Ana commented with a smile, "Ye fit the part. Now it's all up to you to be a good actress, aye?"  
  
"Thank you, Ana," she replied, staring down at herself in awe, "It's perfect!"  
  
Jack walked up to them both and eyed Ana Maria curiously. "Ye two on good terms now, I hope?"  
  
"I suppose," Ana said gruffly and Belle nodded in agreement. It was nice to talk to a woman, even if Belle had to get past Ana's rough exterior first. She sighed in relief. She passed Ana's test. After giving her weeks and weeks of hell, Ana finally realized Belle was strong enough and therefore able to be accepted.  
  
"Ye look quite delicious, luv," Jack murmured in Belle's ear, causing her to flush, "And if we weren't in front of the crew I wouldn't hesitate to eat you up." He leaned back, clearly pleased with the blush covering her cheeks. She did look quite dangerous, a pirate lass down to a T. Jack groaned inwardly, knowing that dreams of her wearing nothing but those boots were going to haunt his perverse mind for many sleepless nights.  
  
"Stop trying to charm me," she whispered back and actually ran her lips over the side of his cheek as she backed away from him. Belle was teasing him! Jack Sparrow grinned and held out his arm to her.  
  
"Shall we get going, me darling pirate lass?" he asked as innocently as he could.  
  
"Indeed, Captain Sparrow," she replied with a mischievous glint in her eye, "I think that would be most wise."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Gunshots, screaming, wild laughter and slurred talking reached her ears. By instinct, she stepped a little closer to Sparrow, who noticed and instantly felt the alarming responsibility to protect her from danger. It swelled within him and he put an arm around her in comfort. She grinned and looked up at him.  
  
Women and men alike were running about, some drinking merrily, some fighting dirtily, others stumbling around, clearly already shit-faced drunk.  
  
"So this is Tortuga?" Belle said with a chuckle, "This is...interesting."  
  
"The most interesting town in the Caribbean, luv!" Sparrow replied with a dramatic flourish. The square bustled with activity as people were trying to sell different items at low prices, whores were calling out their worth, unrespectable men were having a jolly good time, and vengeful pirates were looking to right some wrongs.  
  
"Are we going to get a drink or stand here oglin' at the sights?" Ana Maria asked from behind. Jack sighed in annoyance and Mr. Gibbs added, "Today's a full moon, Captain...we best be careful."  
  
Jack doubled his sigh in annoyance and Belle smothered a gasp of laughter. He certainly had the most amusing crew she's ever laid eyes on.  
  
"We shall try to be, Gibbs," he replied, glancing at Belle with an apologetic look. He faced Gibbs and Ana Maria, saying, "You two are to get the supplies o' the evening, savvy? Ye know what we need?"  
  
"Food, preferably spices and meat, fruit..."  
  
"And most importantly?" Jack quizzed.  
  
"Rum," Ana Maria replied with a roll of her eyes.  
  
"That's me girl!" he said ecstatically, patting her on the back. She snorted and walked off, Gibbs desperately trying to keep up with her long strides.  
  
"So, Sparrow," Belle questioned loudly, trying to carry her voice over the bustling mayhem, "Where will the night take us?"  
  
"I have a place to show ye that I think ye will like," he replied mysteriously, "And then we will meet Gibbs and Ana Maria for a drink later. After that, who knows?" Except Sparrow had a pretty good idea what he would be looking for after a couple mugs of his favorite rum. A willing woman. He craved it tonight like no other night...for here he was, with the woman he lusted after most and he wasn't allowed to touch her for the sake of her dignity and innocence. If he took that away from her, he didn't know if she would ever forgive him. Jack could look, just not touch. And he damned her for it, for teasing him so and then reminding him he couldn't have her.  
  
Sparrow tugged on her arm and led her through the crowd. "I think...it's this way," he murmured to himself, looking unsure.  
  
"Oh great," Belle said, "We are going to get lost, aren't we?"  
  
"Don't be silly," Jack scoffed, "I am the master of good direction!" He turned the corner into a dark alley, causing Belle to become a bit nervous.  
  
"Ah ha, here it is!" Jack said with a triumphant glance her way. He stepped up to a worn brown door and grabbed the silver engraved handle, pushing it open. Jack disappeared inside and she had no choice but to follow.  
  
She took off her hat as she closed the door solidly behind her. The room was dimly lit, and there were home built shelves against three of the walls. The walls were painted a vivid blue, and on the wall that held the desk of the owner, there were maps of faraway lands. A spiral staircase went up to a second story that held more written pleasures.  
  
"How did you find such a place?" she breathed, taking in the musty smell. She loved the smell of aging ink and parchment, and Belle was swept away by such a noble place hidden in such a scandalous town.  
  
"It's amazin' what a bit o' venturin' can do to ye," Sparrow said with a smile and began to examine the shelves, gently running his hands over the covers, reading the titles.  
  
A bell jingled and Belle spun around. A plump older woman emerged from the back storage room and grinned as she caught sight of Jack Sparrow. She swept a few tendrils of white hair from her face with a wrinkled hand and exclaimed, "Captain Jack Sparrow! Why, it's been forever!"  
  
"Bess!" he cried and pulled the laughing woman into a big hug, "How I've missed ye! Ye are as beautiful as ever, me darling."  
  
"Oh, stop that, Sparrow," she smirked, "Flattery does nothing to get past me."  
  
"When will ye leave this place and run away with me?" Jack teased and smacked her in the rump. She jumped and gently hit him in the arm, clearly tickled as well. Bess then noticed Belle standing in the back, watching in amusement.  
  
"Ah, where are your manners, Jack? Who's the pretty lass?" she asked, her eyes twinkling.  
  
"This is me friend Miss Belle Blake. She has been travelin' with us for a couple months now," Jack remarked and motioned for Belle to come out of the shadows.  
  
"Come, come dear. Let me have a good look at you." Bess put on her bifocals that were tucked into the bosom of her cream colored dress and examined her.  
  
"This lad here hasn't been givin' you any trouble has he?" she asked, pointing a finger to Jack, who grinned at Belle.  
  
"Not much, m'am, but it is nice to make your acquaintance," Belle replied warmly, "I've been keeping an eye on him."  
  
"Well Jack, I like her already!" Bess laughed, "Well don't let me keep you, look around, look around! Please, it would be my pleasure."  
  
"Thank you," Belle said with a small smile and turned to the nearest shelf, instantly entranced by the assortment of reading material. She glanced Jack's way to find Bess and him whispering to each other. He caught her gaze and reddened, and Bess grew quiet, an impish smile flickering across her jovial face. They must have been conversing about her.  
  
Belle made her way up the stairs carefully and immediately noticed the table in the middle of the room as well as a small, elegant chair. The windows were open and letting in the cool breeze. Candles lit her way as she went to another shelf and picked out a book full of maps. She wondered if Jack had a book such as this one? It was quite large, and the maps were hand drawn with perfect detail. Jack was such a reckless soul, and this book practically screamed 'adventure and freedom'. Feeling inside her pocket, she felt the coins she had taken from her dresser at home. Belle brought the money for emergencies, yet there hadn't been any emergencies present. Her fingers ran over the cover and she immediately knew she had to get this for him.  
  
"Need help with anything?" Bess questioned from behind her. Belle peered around. Jack wasn't present.  
  
"He's downstairs," Bess commented as if she were reading her mind. She nodded towards the book, "That's a very good selection you've made there. Yet I have a feeling that's not for you."  
  
Belle blushed, replying, "Um, no. I wanted it to be a surprise."  
  
Bess smiled warmly and replied, "That book is going to be ten shillings, Miss Blake. But for you I'll make it eight and wrap it up special."  
  
"That is extremely kind of you," Belle said, her face lighting up. Bess went to the small cupboard upstairs and got out some brown paper and string. Belle handed her the large book and the eight shillings.  
  
"How long have you known Jack?" Belle asked, trying to make small talk.  
  
Bess pushed the bifocals up her nose and said as she wrapped carefully, "Oh, for about ten years or so. He stops by every six months or so. Never brought a girl before, though." She looked up and gazed at her with a grin. "You don't seem like his type."  
  
"Oh," Belle stammered, not knowing how to reply.  
  
"No, don't take it the wrong way, dear," Bess chuckled, "You have to realize that Jack has had whores decorating his arms for years. It is a joy to finally see him with a proper young woman such as yourself. Especially if you keep him in line. You must be quite the challenge for him."  
  
"We are friends, Bess..." she stated with embarrassment, "Nothing more."  
  
Bess clucked at her with her tongue, "I've been around a while, Miss Blake. Quite a while." She handed the wrapped package to her, "I can see how you adore him so. I wish you luck on your travels...and on other things."  
  
"Thank you," Belle remarked, putting the wrapped parcel under her arm, "It must be quite exciting to own a shop such as this."  
  
"Ah, only one of life's rewards," she commented wisely, following Belle down the stairs, "You see so many different people come in and out of here, each day is a new adventure."  
  
Jack was busy stacking a few books in his arms when he noticed them approaching him. "Ah," he murmured, noticing the wrapped book under Belle's arm, "What is this? Did a bit of shopping, did we?"  
  
"You are quite the nosy pirate," Bess retorted.  
  
"It's a surprise," Belle informed him, head held high, "And the secret shall be revealed later."  
  
"Hmm, sounds like fun," he grinned, gold teeth shining, "Now I want to buy some for you so choose a couple, luv."  
  
"No, I really couldn't, Jack," she said with a wave of her hand, "You don't have to get me anything."  
  
"No, it's me gift to ye. My pleasure. Go on," he coaxed, motioning towards the shelves.  
  
After a few minutes of searching, Belle and Jack set down a small pile of books on Bess's desk. Belle ended up with a novel about a murder mystery set in London, and a guide to fencing. Jack was pleased with her findings and even more pleased that she allowed him to buy her a gift or two. He handed Bess the money gratefully and took the small bag from her.  
  
"Have fun!" Bess called as they exited the store, "Hope to see you soon, Captain! You too, Miss Blake!"  
  
"Don't ye worry, me darling, I'll be back for you!" Jack said to her dramatically, as if he were wooing her.  
  
A small "pfft" was Bess's reply.  
  
"That was delightful, Jack, thank you for bringing me," Belle said as they began to walk to the tavern. They were late to their meeting with Gibbs and Ana Maria.  
  
"It was nice to see Bess again," Jack said with a smile, "And even nicer to see that look on yer face when ye walked in there. Now stick close to me, luv, for things get a bit rowdy."  
  
"What is the place called?" she questioned.  
  
"Look an' see for yerself," he replied and pointed in front of them. She followed his gaze and noticed the sign swinging in the wind. "Devil's Dare" tavern.  
  
"Sounds enchanting," Belle commented sarcastically.  
  
"Believe me, me dear, it is," Jack teased, "And I don't think you'll fit in with that attire ye got on. Usually women in there wear a bit less than ye've got on at the moment."  
  
"Well you'll have to live with it," she huffed, "For walking around wearing a napkin is not my cup of tea."  
  
Jack chuckled and led her inside. They were greeted with roughhousing pirates punching one another not even three feet away from them, a drunk vomiting in the corner, and a face-painted whore straddling some horny bloke in the front table, lifting her skirts for him. Belle's eyes widened, trying to take in the scene laid out before her.  
  
"Enchanting, aye?" Jack said, knowing she would have that reaction of utter astonishment.  
  
She couldn't even begin to describe the curiosity and horror she felt from witnessing such vile acts.  
  
Sparrow took her by the arm and led her over to the back table where Gibbs and Ana were already enjoying their forth mug.  
  
"Where the hell were you two?" Ana Maria asked with a smile. She peered over at Sparrow and added suspiciously, "Are ye're breeches buttoned?"  
  
Belle gasped in disbelief. Gibbs grimaced and said, "Don't mind her. She's drunk."  
  
"Am not!" Ana Maria slurred, "Okay, okay...perhaps a lil'."  
  
"It's getting late," Jack said, stating the obvious, "I have a bit o' business to take care of. Will I count on you..." he paused, sighing as Ana stared at the reflection of herself in the mug. He turned his gaze to the sober Mr. Gibbs. "I'll trust you to take care of Miss Blake?"  
  
"Aye, captain. I'll keep a watchful eye on her."  
  
"Good." Jack's stare cut to Belle, "Because she's one to cause trouble." He put a few shillings on the table and said, "Buy the lass a drink, she's thirsty," and pulled out a chair for Belle to sit in.  
  
"Where are ye goin'?" she questioned innocently.  
  
He winced and replied shortly, "None of your business. Here, take the bag." He set the bag of books in her lap once she was seated and pushed in her chair for her. Jack then turned on his heel and left quickly, his coat billowing around him as he walked through the door and out of her sight.  
  
"Gibbs," she said, turning to him, "Do you know where he is heading?"  
  
"I have no idea, lass," he stammered. Clearly he knew something. He was a horrible liar. She guessed she was to remain out of the loop for her well being.  
  
"I'd like water," she added instead of further questioning him, which she would have liked to do just to see him squirm, but she was feeling generous tonight.  
  
"They don't have water here," Ana Maria smirked, gazing at her with her glazed over eyes.  
  
"Fine," Belle rolled her eyes, "One rum, please."  
  
Gibbs called over a wench and soon a mug was set in front of her, the amber liquid sloshing everywhere and the mug it was in looked a bit unclean.  
  
She ran her sleeve over the rim, as if cleaning it before placing her lips on it would help.  
  
"Drink up me 'earties," she muttered and shut her eyes before taking a drink. It burned all the way down.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Belle felt a bit light headed as Gibbs shepherded her and Ana Maria back onto the Pearl. She wasn't completely drunk, but she felt oddly hazy, like she was a bit fuzzy around the edges.  
  
"Good night, Belle," Gibbs called as he headed below and into the crew's barracks. Ana Maria stumbled after him, looking ready to pass out from the excess of alcohol.  
  
Belle looked at the bag in her hands and the wrapped present for Jack. She placed the bag next to the helm and noticed that there was light coming out from underneath Jack's cabin door. Grinning, she realized that it was the opportune moment to give him his gift.  
  
Sneakily, she crept up to the door and slowly opened it, not making a sound.  
  
Her eyes widened and she dropped the book, it making a loud banging noise on the wood floor.  
  
Jack's head lifted from the prostitute's neck and his jaw dropped. He looked like a dog that had been caught eating off of the dinner table. There were two women, one with a scarlet dress on and her black curls piled on top of her head. She sat behind him and had her hands on his shoulders. The other was sitting next to him, her brown hair falling like a waterfall to her buttocks, her dark green dress lifted to her thighs, her lips full and plump from kissing. Her brown eyes rimmed with kohl were studying her with distaste.  
  
Jack sat there, shirtless, looking utterly speechless.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Reviews are good. Huzzah for reviews! 


	13. Haircut

Disclaimer: Sadly, the Mouse is the head honcho in all PotC dealings. I own nothing except my own characters. Woot woot.  
  
A/N: After the LONG agonizing delay, I give you chapter 13! Now we get to see Jack try to climb out of the hole he's dug for himself, aye? Enjoy!  
  
PineAppleLint  
  
* * *  
  
Jack sat there, shirtless, looking utterly speechless.  
  
"Who's the pretty wench?" the black haired whore asked slyly, massaging Jack's tanned shoulders as he gaped at her, "Has she come to play wit' us?"  
  
The whore in the green dress stood up from the bed, walking over to Belle after stroking Sparrow's thigh.  
  
"Have ye come to join the fun?" she asked, gazing at her with a sneer, "Because I think there's enough o' the Captain to go around. There always is, isn't that right, Gwen?"  
  
"As right as rain, me dear," the beautiful woman on the bed proclaimed, bending over and whispering something provocative into Jack's ear before wrapping her arms around his waist from behind, slowly running her palms up his chest.  
  
"Well I'm SORRY to interrupt, CAPTAIN," Belle said angrily, "Didn't mean to INTRUDE." And was she slurring?! Hell, she was! Her words were beginning to run together like sloppy paints on a wet canvas. The buzz of rum was making her skin tingle, and her brain seemed like it was rolled up in stuffy cotton.  
  
She was getting drunk too many times for her own damn good. Wasn't this but the second time she's acted like a complete idiot from a little too much rum?  
  
"Miss Blake," Jack replied hoarsely, "I know this is rather awkward, but I am sorry ye had to see this and..."  
  
"I know, I know..." Belle exclaimed drunkenly, flicking her wrist at him, "I'll leave now. You can continue on with your JOB, girls. Wouldn't want to keep you from getting PAID." She realized accenting words while piss drunk was quite enjoyable for her. Belle swayed a bit as she bent over and picked up the package she dropped, sniffed haughtily, then slammed the door shut on her way out.  
  
"Was she objectin' to our profession, Jack?" the brown-haired lass said, pouting as she sashayed over to wear he sat rigidly.  
  
"O' course not, um..." Jack winced in thought. He scratched his head before adding, "What was yer name again?" The whore shrieked and slapped him across the face. The smack resounded off the walls like a gunshot.  
  
"I don't think I deserved that," he said with a frown.  
  
She picked up her fancy feather hat with a "hmmmpf" and stomped out of his cabin. He heard the click of her shoes as she made her way down the gangplank and off the Pearl.  
  
"This evenin' isn't turnin' out so well," Jack groaned and sank back into his covers. He sighed in frustration. All he wanted was a good time and he always managed to mess things up for himself. Good going, Sparrow. Was he losing his touch?  
  
"Don't be feelin' down, Captain," Gwen commented in a breathless voice, "Perhaps things turned out for the better, hmm?"  
  
He stared at her if she was insane, but waited for her to make a valid point.  
  
"After all," she said, running a finger down his chest, "Now it's just the two of us. It'll be worth yer money, I promise."  
  
She leaned over, giving him a good view of cleavage, and a black curl slowly tickled his shoulder as her face came an inch from his.  
  
"Relax," she commanded in a whisper. He savagely brought her head down so their lips could meet, and his hands began to wander wickedly down her body, causing Gwen to moan into his mouth. He wanted to ruin this woman for all men. He wanted to live up to that reputation of his, as well as exceed it.  
  
And...perhaps he wanted to drown out Belle's face. Jack closed his eyes, yet Belle did not fade from his mind. And as he had his way with the whore, all the while he thought of a different woman.  
  
* * *  
  
Belle sat on her cot, barefooted, with her chin resting on her knees. She had been sitting there in the same position for quite some time now, staring out the window, as silent as the grave. Perhaps she was afraid to talk for the fear of setting off that insistent throbbing in her head once again overwhelmed her. The door creaked and she glanced towards the doorway. It was Ana Maria. She closed the door behind her and stood there for a moment, watching as Belle returned her gaze to the night sky out her window.  
  
Ana Maria let out a breath and ran a hand through her wild locks, tucking some of it underneath the navy cloth wrapped around her dirty forehead. She opened her mouth to say something but Belle interrupted her.  
  
"I know, you don't have to say it, Ana," Belle said without emotion, "That 'I told you so' is going to be wasted on me."  
  
"No one ever calls me Ana," she responded, sitting across from her on a wobbly chair.  
  
"Oh. Sorry then."  
  
"No, don't be," Ana Maria replied with a smile, "It kind of sounds mysterious. I like it."  
  
Belle nodded, getting quiet once more. She stared down at her fingernails and began to pick at the grime hidden underneath them.  
  
"And by the way, I wasn't goin' to say 'I told ye so', don't put words in me mouth." Ana Maria sighed and leaned against the wall, getting comfortable, "I saw the Captain come on board with those two and I instantly knew there'd be trouble."  
  
"Trouble?" Belle snorted, "I am not going to cause any trouble. What he does while visiting Tortuga is none of my concern."  
  
"The way ye feel about him makes it your concern though," Ana Maria pointed out. Just as Belle glared at her, she added with her hands raised, "And I'm not tryin' to start somethin'. I'm statin' a true fact, that's all. So don't start yer bitchin'."  
  
"All right, there will be no bitching from me," she said with a weak grin. She sneezed suddenly and her blonde hair fell down over her eyes. "Ugh, it's such a hassle taking care of this." She gathered up her tangled hair and showed her the knots to prove a point.  
  
"Ye have nice hair."  
  
Belle rolled her eyes at Ana Maria's comment and flipped her hair back over her shoulders.  
  
"We could do somethin' about it if it bothers ye so much," Ana Maria said with a wicked smile.  
  
"Like what?" Ana Maria held up a finger and placed it against Belle's lips, then got up to leave. She disappeared for a minute or two, leaving Belle to furrow her brow and wonder if she was supposed to follow. She appeared with a pair of scissors in her hand, gleaming in the dim light. Belle's eyes widened as Ana Maria raised her eyebrows in silent question.  
  
"I don't know..." Belle stammered, "I..."  
  
"Think o' it as bein' a symbol of startin' your new life, aye? Ye know ye want to try somethin' new."  
  
Belle eyed the scissors and a burst of excitement and anxiety flowed through her veins. A change. She suddenly craved it more than anything, to be able to let her hair hit the floor while she shed her fear of the future. She felt like embracing piracy with open arms and not letting anyone stand in her way to get what she wanted, as well as Jack.  
  
"All right. Let's do this." As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt a fierceness, a certain boldness she had never experienced before. Even as Ana Maria tilted Belle's head to one side and she began to hear the steady 'snip snip' of the scissors, she was still smiling.  
  
* * *  
  
Jack groaned as he walked out of his cabin, feeling horribly hung over and tired from staying up all night. The whore hadn't left until three, giving him a quick peck on the lips after he paid her her wages for their rendezvous. She left without so much of a goodbye, losing that mask of lust and replacing it with a look of greedy satisfaction for the coins jingling in her dress pocket.  
  
He stepped up to the helm and ran a finger across it, cherishing his ship. He shut his eyes, which didn't have any kohl because he forgot to put some on, and knew that the Pearl would be the only thing he would ever love eternally. Everything else was just...there. But the Pearl, well, that was his freedom. If she was taken away from him, then he might as well have his heart cut out.  
  
Jack realized he had to have a talk with Belle, and he dreaded having to do it, but he would have to discuss things with her nonetheless. He actually found talking with her to be quite refreshing, but talking to her about last night, well, it didn't top his list of favorite things to do.  
  
"Ana Maria!" Jack barked, swaying a bit as he whirled around to look for her.  
  
"Aye, Captain?" she said innocently, walking up to him with her arms crossed, "What is it?"  
  
"Where's Miss Blake? I have to speak with her."  
  
"Oh, I believe..." Ana Maria squinted in mock concentration, "She's up top helpin' Gibbs with the sails."  
  
"I thought she was afraid o' heights," Jack frowned.  
  
"Well, ye thought wrong," Ana Maria snorted, "Why don't ye look for yerself?"  
  
Jack didn't understand the meaning of her secretive smile until he glanced up and almost choked on his own saliva.  
  
"Belle!" Ana Maria called sweetly, "Jack wants to speak with ye!"  
  
"I'll be down in a second," she yelled down, winking at them both. She and Mr. Gibbs exchanged a few words and he nodded. She carefully climbed down the loose ropes and once she landed on her feet, she walked steadily and confidently over to them.  
  
"Yes Jack?"  
  
"Your hair," he croaked, his head spinning, "What happened? What did ye do?"  
  
"Oh, you like it?" she laughed, touching her choppy chin-length blonde hair, "It was a spur of the moment kind of thing."  
  
Actually, he did like it, but he was still trying to get over the initial shock of her suddenly hacking off all of her curly locks. The new haircut accented her eyes and the sharpness of her chin, giving her a devilish, cocky look rather than that innocent, proper one she had maintained before.  
  
"It's...goin' to take some getting used to," he responded finally, removing his tricorne hat and scratching his head. His eyes never left her face.  
  
"What did you have to talk to me about, Captain?" Belle questioned cheerily.  
  
He opened his mouth and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down, no words coming out of his mouth. Finally he said, "I wanted to make sure ye were all right from last night."  
  
"Why wouldn't I be?" she said, raising an eyebrow. She finally said dramatically, "OH. You mean catching you with those women last night? Don't worry, I understand. You were just looking for a bit of fun."  
  
"I..."  
  
"Were they expensive?" she asked as if she were making small talk, "Because women like that are usually cost a bit. The kinky ones."  
  
"How would you know?" he said a bit sharply than he intended for it to be. The sudden cutting edge of his voice caused her grin to widen. Here they go again.  
  
"I don't know. I'm not the one who has sex with strangers."  
  
"Is there a problem between us, Miss Blake?" he asked, his eyes now narrow slits, "If there is, feel free to share with me. Hell, I'd like to know why ye are actin' this way."  
  
"Why would there be a problem?" she said with an innocent shrug of her shoulders, "It was my fault I walked in on such a pitiful display in your cabin."  
  
"Pitiful?" he scoffed, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. When it comes to women, there is no such thing as a 'pitiful display'."  
  
"There you go again, Jack," Belle rolled her eyes, "Thinking you are the greatest man alive. Well you're not. Even Captain Jack Sparrow has flaws."  
  
"And why are ye tryin' to get me angry, Belle?" he hissed, his head beginning to throb mercilessly, "I think last night bothered you more than ye would like to admit."  
  
Belle's calm demeanor diminished and her gaze grew stormy. "You shut your mouth, Jack Sparrow. You have no right to say such things to me."  
  
"It hurt you to see me with them, eh? Did it? Did ye cut your hair just to get my attention?" Jack asked in a pleading tone, "Just tell me." He wanted to know. He wanted the truth. He was so desperate, he would hurt her to get it from her, to hear those simple words exclaiming her attraction for him escape her lips.  
  
Belle was quiet for a moment. She almost scared him out of his boots when she grabbed him by his coat and pulled him to her. He froze when he felt her lips against his earlobe. She whispered, "You are an ass." And then kneed him right in the groin.  
  
He should have seen it coming. Her knee connected with his manhood with such force that he instantly saw stars before he blacked out for a second or two. She pushed his body off of hers and walked away from the helm, not saying another word.  
  
Jack held his hands to the crotch of his breeches and let out a strangled gasp as he fell to his knees. Some of the crewmembers snickered, but when he looked up to see who would dare laugh at him, they smothered it and went on to tend to their duties elsewhere.  
  
Ana Maria waltzed up, stared down at his pained face and said, "So, did she or didn't she?"  
  
"Do what?" he asked, his voice about three pitches higher.  
  
"Make ye a eunuch."  
  
Jack let out a shaky breath and struggled to stand up properly without bending over a bit. "I'm not sure," he replied, his voice returning to normal, "But there's goin' to be hell to pay. No lass kicks me in the sociables and gets away with it."  
  
"Do I even have to point out that ye deserved it? Anyway, you're going to have to wait for her to get back, then."  
  
"Wait, what? Where did she go?" Jack questioned in confusion.  
  
"Into Tortuga. She said she had to return somethin'."  
  
"She can't go into Tortuga by herself!" Jack roared, "Is she daft?"  
  
"Daft like you, I suppose."  
  
"Fine, see if I care," he mumbled, "Women...argh!" At that comment he threw up his hands in exasperation. Ana Maria let out a chuckle and shook her head as she walked away, whistling to herself.  
  
He grabbed a bottle of rum he hadn't managed to finish the other day and uncorked it, taking a rather large swig.  
  
"Stupid wench," he muttered, "I'm not crawlin' like a dog after her."  
  
Five minutes rolled by, and they were the longest five minutes he had ever witnessed. The wind picked up, causing his dreads to tickle his cheeks. He checked his gun for shot and shuffled his feet in irritation. Tapping his fingers against the helm, he finally snapped, just like Ana Maria predicted he'd do.  
  
"That's it, I'm going."  
  
* * *  
  
Please review! They are dandy. 


	14. The Parcel

Disclaimer:  Ah HA!  By jove, I think I own _Pirates of the_…nah, just kidding.  I don't.  

Author's Note:  For those of you thinking I have died, I didn't.  I went to Pennsylvania (woot AMISH LAND)  two weeks ago and now I've been rather sick, so updating has been put off.  I KNOW, there is no excuse, my sincerest apologies to you all.  Watched PotC again today.  That helps take all my sickness and worries away.  I think I just rhymed, by jiminy!  Sorry, why don't we continue on?  

                                                            Drink up me 'earties!

                                                                                    PineAppleLint

* * *

            The invincible, powerful Jack Sparrow's self control had broken, and now, of course, he was going to make a fool of himself just because Belle wanted to go on a little escapade by her onesies.  

            "What in hell was she thinkin'?" he seethed, yanking his hat more securely on top of his head, then clenching and unclenching his fists, "When I get me hands on her…" He paused, thoughtfully recollecting on what he just said.  It sounded delightfully dirty.  Ah, who was he kidding?  Here he was, thinking about making another move on her and Belle had just kneed him in the sociables, which were still painfully throbbing much to his discomfort.  She wouldn't give him the time of day, he wagered.  He'd have to drag her back to the Pearl.  

            "And I have no problem doing that," Jack said angrily, "I won't let that hoity-toity priss ruin me stay in Tortuga!"  _Except she hadn't_, he thought, _Being__ with her was more enjoyable than I thought.  _He had partly wished she would have been a thorn in his side during their stay on the island, to make it easier on himself to let her go, but of course she hadn't been.  Belle was anything but.  

            Jack's coat was billowing around his legs as he practically ran down the mucky, dark streets of Tortuga, searching for her.  Anamaria said Belle had to return something…but what?  _The package._Of course!  She hadn't bought anything except that parcel in the book shop.  Sparrow cursed to himself before running down a shadowed alleyway, ignoring the brawl he passed by, flinching as another whore, one he had never seen before, called out to him in the form of a seductive greeting.  Without even a second glance at her, he spotted a lone figure walking slowly twenty yards ahead of him.  It was Belle.  The new haircut gave her away.  

            "Belle!" he shouted, running awkwardly in her direction, arms flailing about, "Belle, wait!"  

            She turned around at the sound of her name and looked oddly surprised, as if she wasn't aware that he would even think of coming after her.  The joyful look was quickly replaced with one of malice.  She tapped one boot, as if impatient while she waited for him to catch up.  He reached her side and placed a hand on her arm while saying breathlessly, "Are ye daft?  Do you know how dangerous it is for a beautiful young morsel like yourself to go out alone in Tortuga?"  

            Belle flinched away from his touch and kept the package securely tucked underneath her right arm.  "What are you doing here, Sparrow?  I can go wherever I please.  You are not the boss of me."

            "I am your captain," he pointed out soberly, "So ye are to follow me orders.  And I'm here to save ye from doing anything rash."

            "I'm just returning this," she argued, glancing at the parcel, "Not selling myself to some horny bloke standing on the street corner."  

            Jack winced and said, "What was it, Miss Blake?  What is so important that ye had to return right away?"  

            "That's none of your damn business," she snapped, glaring defiantly up at him.  Suddenly, Jack snatched the parcel from her.  

            "Give it back!" she cried, lunging at him.  He hopped out of her reach and grinned at her.  Jack saw her stare at his pants again, as if she were wondering just how close she would have to get to kick him again.  

            "Oh no, luv," he said with a shake of his head, "No more threatening me goods.  That's just uncalled for.  And you'll pay for that."  Then he ripped the brown paper off the gift.  

            "Jack!" she hissed, "You have no right…"  

            He 'shh'ed her and stared down at the beautiful book in his hands.  He ran a finger over the leather cover and careful calligraphy.  Opening it, he smiled when his chocolate eyes rested on different, intricate maps from all over the world.  Jack instantly fell in love with the detail.  

            "Let me guess," he said slowly, "This wasn't for you."  His eyes met hers, and was surprised when he saw her cheeks flush pink.  

            "It was a present…for you," she admitted, "But after the events tonight, I didn't know what I was thinking…"  

            Jack's hope shattered and he closed the book quietly.  Holding it out to her, he said seriously, "Then I guess you'll be wantin' this back, aye?"  

            She froze.  Not knowing what to say, she extended her hand and took it from him.  Half of her wanted to throw it in the mud, the other half wanted to hand it back to him, to embrace him and say that she wished things had went better.  _Damn him and his puppy dog look.  _

            Belle sighed and said, "Well, what now, Sparrow?"  

            He scratched the back of his neck and said emotionlessly, "You better go return your book.  I'll wait for you."  

            Belle suddenly burst.  "What is wrong with you?" she asked, rubbing her temple, "One minute you act like you find me a pain in the arse, the next…" she shrugged, trying to find words, "I don't know.  I don't want to know.  Nothing makes sense around you, Jack Sparrow."  Before he could open his mouth and tell her she forgot the 'captain', she added, "And don't even think about correcting me.  I am not in the mood."  

            "Well, ye don't make any sense to me either!" he shot back with a glare.  

            "How mature of you, Sparrow!" she said with a bitter laugh, "Why don't you go back to your ship and wallow in your own self pity?  Because I don't want any part of it."  

            "That's it…" Jack said with a roar, "We're going.  And I don't want a peep from ye on the way back."  

            "Fine!" she shouted, "I don't want to talk to you anyway!"

            "Fine!" he shouted back, narrowing his kohl rimmed eyes at her, and crossed his arms rigidly as he stormed off ahead of her.  After a couple of yards, he realized Belle was being too quiet for her own good. Glancing over his shoulder, he froze.  

            She was gone.  

            "Holy Christ," he muttered under his breath.  But his anger soon diminished when he heard a shriek coming from the nearest alleyway.  Jack took off, grabbing his pistol from his belt as he rounded the corner.  Belle was surrounded by three men, and she was desperately trying to talk her way out of the situation.  

            "Come on, gentlemen," she said calmly, holding up her hands, "I am not looking for trouble."

            "We're not looking for trouble either," one slurred, rubbing some dirt off of his forehead, "We're lookin' for some pleasurable company."  

            "There's some girls out there a ways who will willingly give you what you need," she pointed.  

            "Well, that means we would have to pay," the 'leader' of the pack said with a mock pout, "And here we have ye all to ourselves…so…" he pushed her up against the wall and she screamed.  

            Jack shouted, "Let her go or I'll shoot!"   The men looked up, lust and fury dancing in their dilated eyes.  

            "And who might you be?" one smirked.  When Jack cast a glance towards Belle, the other two pointed their own guns at Jack.  Belle whimpered when the one who pushed her against the wall kept her there by clamping a hand around her slender throat.  

            "I am Cap'n Jack Sparrow," he replied cautiously, "And that woman ye've accosted is mine."  

            "Jack Sparrow?" the stranger laughed, "Surely not?  And why would ye leave your woman alone in Tortuga?  Who knows what kind of devil could come and snatch her right out from under yer nose."  To prove a point, he ran a palm up her thigh.  She was as still as stone, and fear flickered in her eyes.  The book of maps was resting in the dirt next to her.  

            "I do not think she is yours, Mister Sparrow," another said and rested his body against the wall.  He was clearly inebriated.  Jack noticed this, and fortunately this meant if shots would be fired, Jack would have the advantage.   He was quicker, stealthier, and his bullets usually hit their targets with skillful accuracy.  

            "And why not?  Why would I lie about her being a member o' me crew?" Sparrow asked in a frustrated tone.  

            "You were walking ahead of her, and clearly she belongs to another ship…not yours."  

            Belle lifted her head and stared at the man with confusion.  When the stranger realized she would not talk, he grabbed her by the wrist and jerked her sleeve up so that her horizon scar was showing.  "This mark shows that she is property of the Rising Sun crew.  So Jack Sparrow, ye are a rotten liar."  

            "My crew accidentally left me behind in Tortuga," Belle spoke up, "Do you know where they are heading?"  Jack glanced at her again.  She was a smart girl.  

            "The last thing I heard was that Captain Hernandez and his crew was heading to Trinidad.  Poor lass…it's a shame ye lost your way."  He ran a finger down her throat and Jack's expression grew steely as the stranger added, "I'll take care of ye."  

            "Let her go," Jack ordered, "She is mine for the night, savvy?"

            "Who says?" he asked defiantly, tightening his grip on her arm, "Hernandez will not be happy when he hears that another captain has been touching his property."

            "I am no one's property," she spat, "And definitely not yours.  Captain Sparrow and I have been seeing each other for a while now, and it is none of your concern when or where we meet."  

            "Well, when me boys and I spotted ye two in the street, looks like ye both were in a tiff."  The man let her go and pushed her in Jack's direction.  "How about it, poppet?  Give 'im a sloppy kiss.  Then if it seems like ye weren't jokin', we'll leave ye two lovebirds to your business."  

            Belle instantly scowled in Jack's direction.  Damnation.  

            "Luv," Sparrow crooned with a serious face, "Let's get going, aye?"  She forced a smile to her face and ran into Jack's arms.  She went up on her tippy-toes and forced herself to put her lips solidly on his.  Thinking she would kiss him for a second and step away, Belle felt Sparrow put an arm around her waist and a hand under her chin, tilting her head for better access of her mouth.  She opened her eyes when she felt his tongue slither inside of her mouth, caressing her own.  What was he, a goddamn snake?  When she broke away, both were gasping as if the air was sucked out of their bodies.  The drunken men were laughing and slapping each other on the back.  

            "I think ye have proved your point, Sparrow," the 'leader' said with a snort, "She'll be worthless to us if she's got you on her mind.  Obviously she's intoxicated by you.  Sickening, but true.  Well, men, we're off!"  The other two grunted in response and stumbled along down the street after him.  

            Once they had disappeared, she raised her hand and smacked Captain Jack Sparrow across the face.  The sound ricocheted down the street like a gunshot.  His head whipped back and he stood still for a moment.  His eyes on her once more, he questioned, "What was that for?"  

            "What was that _for_?" Belle said angrily, "You had your tongue in my mouth!"  

            "What did ye want me to do?" he asked in exasperation, looking like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, "I was saving you, remember?"  He began to follow after her as she stomped off in the direction of the docks.  

            "You're despicable," she muttered under her breath.

            "Pirate," he replied with a shrug.

* * *

Woot!  Review please and you'll get a Jack Sparrow pillow.  Then you can sleep with him!  (heehee)  Okay, okay.  (hangs head sadly)  I know.  That was wrong.  


	15. Festivities

            Belle stared out the tiny window in her less than mediocre cabin and sighed in frustration.  Here she was, stuck on the Pearl, again, and for the next two weeks she would have to put up with Sparrow and all of his annoying little quirks.  

            What made her even more upset was the fact that she still had that damn map book.  She had hidden it underneath the old mattress on her squeaky cot.  Belle had had the urge to tear it to pieces, but ruining such a perfect piece of art would have been a crime in her eyes.  

            "I knew he'd go after ye," a smug voice proclaimed from the doorway, "So did ye two kiss and make up?"  

            Belle glanced at Anamaria and said in an annoyed tone, "Hardly.  But he did stick his tongue down my throat."  

            Anamaria whistled.  "Damn, he did that?  Well, I'm not surprised, but…"  

            "I didn't WANT it," Belle said miserably, "I was attacked and Jack kissed me to show them I was his property.  I'm not his property!"  

              
            "But the lil' façade did save yer life," Anamaria pointed out.

            "I suppose it did.  But I don't owe that bastard a thing.  Respectable young women do not kiss men like that."  

            "Then how do they kiss them?" she asked, grinning foolishly, "A passionless peck on the lips?  Clearly ye aristocratic people don't know nothin' about love."  

            "How am I supposed to know?  I've never been in love," Belle shot back with a glare, "So your little speeches will be wasted on me."  

            "Love isn't about boundaries, me dear.  It's not about 'not supposed to's'.  It's about the moment, and bein' truly overwhelmed by the person ye become weak in the knees by their presence."  

            "Have you been in love, Ana?"

            "Once."

            "With whom, might I ask?"

            Anamaria smiled and got this far-off look in her eyes.  "His name was Christopher Sherbrooke.  I was eighteen, an' we met each other by workin' on the docks in Bombay."  

            "What ever happened to him?"  

            Anamaria's smile faded.  With a flick of her hand, she said, "Oh, ye know how the stories go.  We both became members o' different crews.  He ended up bein' murdered in a raid."  

            "I'm…"

            "No pity, lass.  That's the rule o' today.  Now I better get to work before Sparrow has me ass on a silver tray."

            Belle nodded to her and watched her leave.  Getting out the book from underneath the mattress, she stared at it for a moment, fingering the torn paper.  She rested her hands on her hips and instantly flinched, drawing in her breath sharply as she touched the sore skin there.  Belle would have to be more careful.   

* * *

            Jack hadn't seen Belle take one step out into the sunlight all day long.  Christ, his kisses were supposed to make women run back to him for more, not make them run as fast away from him as possible!  

            _That little witch.  She's been tryin' me patience to no end._

            Most men at Jack's stage would have been hopeless, but there was one moment he remembered that sparked the last bit of hope in him he had left.  When he had kissed her to her heart's content under those unusual circumstances, he had felt the faintest hint of Belle pressing up softly against him for more until she tore herself away from him like she found him disgusting.  Like she was better than that.  _Better than him.   _

Of course, he shouldn't have been so rough with her, but that was a regret he wouldn't dwell on…

            The sun was setting, and the sky's colors were slowly diminishing to that steadfast black-blue, like a giant bruise painted across the heavens.  Sparrow threw the rope around the helm to steady it, and swaggered into his cabin in search of his tankard.  

            And there, sitting on his bed, was Belle.  

            He paused mid-step, and said sharply, "What are ye doin' in here?"  

            She rested her hands in her lap, looking startled, as if she was still shocked she got caught in his room.  

            "I'm…I suppose…"  

            "Out wit' it, woman." 

            Belle flushed and narrowed her eyes.  "My name is not _woman_.  It's Belle Blake.  _Miss _Blake to the likes of you." 

            That was the last straw.  "The _likes of me_?" Jack growled, "That's it.  I'm sick o' ye acting like ye're better than me.  Than us _pirates_.  Haven't we had this discussion before?"

            "I do not act that way!" Belle shouted, "I am just fed up with your behavior!"

            "Me behavior?" Jack scoffed, "What, am I supposed to give ye special treatment?" 

            "Stop twisting my words around, Jack, just stop.  If you are going to raise your voice at me, then I am leaving this very instant.  Goodnight, Captain, and sweet dreams."  

            _No woman talks to me that way and gets away with it…_

He grasped her arm tightly as she attempted to storm past him and said sharply, "No, we're settling this once and for all.  No runnin' away this time…" and grabbed her by the hips roughly to keep her in place.  His eyes widened when she cried out in pain.  

            Jack let her go abruptly and she cringed, tentatively touching her sides.  He reached out to touch her but she took a step back.  

            Jack said hoarsely, "Let me see what's botherin' you, luv."  

            He slowly lifted her shirt and lowered the waistband of her breeches a little.  Bruises in the shape of fingerprints.  He let out a slow breath and he flashbacked to when he kissed her.

            _Dammit__, I was so swept up in the moment I hurt her.  _

He tried to met her gaze, but she had it riveted to the floor.  "Belle," he said softly, "Look at me."  She did so, and she was disturbed by his concerned expression.  

            "I didn't mean to hurt ye, luv," Jack stammered, "I don't hurt women."  

            "A simple 'I'm sorry' will do just fine."  

            She watched as Jack pressed his fingers to his lips and brought them to each side of her pelvis, whispering them across the tender flesh.  

            "Captain..." 

            "Hmmm?" 

            "That's not the kind of apology I had in mind," she pointed out, her cheeks flushing a deeper color.  

            He ran a few fingers through her short blond hair and said, "I'm sorry."  

            "Apology accepted.  How many days until we reach Trinidad?"

            "Six, maybe seven if we encounter a storm."  

            "Jack…"

            "Yes?"

            "I heard the crew was talking about some sort of festivity tonight, and I was wondering what they were cooking up."  

            "Nothin' out o' the normal, luv.  Just some drinkin', some music…"  

            "Music, eh?" she asked, getting this particularly evil gleam in her eyes.  

            "I don't like that look," he said hesitantly, "What are ye concoctin' in that brain o' yers?"  

            "Oh nothing, Sparrow.  But I expect to see you out there joining in the festivities."  

            "Who are ye talkin' to, Belle?" he questioned, feigning a look of shock, "Do ye really think I would just stand there and let a good festivity go to waste?  Bloody hell, no!"  

            "All right.  Then I must be getting ready.  Ta, darling."   Jack scratched his head in confusion as watched her sashay out of the room, looking particularly pleased.  Did he even want to know what was going on in that mind of hers?  

            He sat on his bed, the mattress giving way, and took off his boots.  He wiggled his toes, letting them enjoy their freedom when he spotted something peeking out from underneath his pillow.  Something he hadn't noticed there before.  

            Jack lifted his pillow and grinned.  It was the book of maps, wrapped in fresh brown paper.  

* * *

            Jack threw his head back and finished off his mug of rum.  He sat in the crow's nest, letting the rum relax him as he listened to the raunchy singing going on below.  Henry, one of his crew members, had gotten out his fiddle for old time's sakes and was playing a quick, upbeat tune.  Soon, a couple of the more inebriated pirates were locking arms and dancing spastically.  

            Rum was being swallowed by the mouthful, the singing was getting louder, and the laughter more merry by the moment.  

            _Ah, definitely a pirate's life for…_ Sudden cheering interrupted Jack's lazy thoughts.  He gazed down from where his legs were slung over the side of the crow's nest and grinned devilishly.  

            There was Belle, and she had obviously been rooting around in a couple of chests of swag he had stored in the belly of the Pearl, for she was wearing a daring crimson dress, low-cut, complete with a corset that wasn't laced up all the way.  She was accenting parts of her that a respectable young lady never did.  She picked up the long skirts as she walked, and he viewed black petticoats underneath, and stockings that he guessed were held up by garters.  She had no shoes on.  

            _That little vixen!  Bugger it all, she looks good enough to eat.  _

Belle curtseyed and held out her hand towards a very flustered Gibbs, who accepted her offer and began to waltz with her across the deck of the Black Pearl.  He wasn't very graceful, and must have stepped on her feet a couple of times, but she didn't show it.  She was grinning all the while, her hair twirling around her head, her cheeks flushed from the humid air.  

            Miss Blake twirled herself into the arms of Mr. Cotton, who looked bare without that bloody parrot perched on his shoulder.  If Mr. Cotton had a tongue, Jack thought, he would have no doubt swallowed it, finding himself so suddenly with a beauty in his arms.  

            Jack couldn't take it anymore.  He gracefully climbed down unnoticed from the crow's nest and leaned against the mast, watching her predatorily.  He wanted his dance, and he wanted it now.  The song ended and she clapped, praising Mr. Cotton on his dancing skills, who looked like a giddy school boy from the compliments she was raining down upon him.  Henry changed the tune of the fiddle from an upbeat, casual one to one more mysterious and alluring, more oddly sensual.  

            Belle turned in his direction, hands on hips, cockily waiting for him to ask her to dance with a sly smile on her face.  

            When Sparrow didn't smile, her cocky demeanor faded and was quickly replaced with one of curiosity.  He made his way over to her, agonizingly taking his time.  He circled her once, and she could feel his eyes studying her backwards and forwards.  

            Suddenly, he pulled her against his warm body, and she stared expectantly into his chocolate eyes.  

            He whispered into her ear, "Do I even 'ave to ask?"  

* * *

Review please!  Tell me what you think, savvy?


	16. You Win

Disclaimer:  I do not own any characters from _Pirates of the Caribbean_.  Wouldn't it be uber cool if there was a _Pirates of the Caribbean_ auction?  I'd give anything for Jack Sparrow. wink I don't think he'd want to come with me, though.  cough, love slave, cough

A/N:  Who knows where this story is going?  I'm just along for the ride. 

--------

            - He whispered into her ear, "Do I even 'ave to ask?"-

            "As a matter of fact," Belle said devilishly, sweat gleaming on her brow from the humid Caribbean air, "You do."  She took a step away from him and crossed her arms, waiting for his proper invitation. 

            "Dance wit' me." 

            She shook her head, smiling smugly.  "Try again." 

            Sparrow let out a sigh and ran a few fingers along his moustache, contemplating whether he should just leave her standing there and make her feel like a fool, or to just give in and let her feel those couple seconds of victory before he swept her off of her feet. 

            He decided to be generous for once. 

            "Miss Belle Blake…would ye do me the honor o' dancin' wit' me?" he questioned loudly, suddenly sweeping his tricorne hat off of his head and bowing gracefully. 

            "Why, I'd love to, Captain Jack Sparrow," she replied cheekily, curtseying before he clasped hands with hers and held her at the waist.  Belle winced, expecting to be flung about and her feet trampled on, but when she opened her eyes…they were actually waltzing a perfect waltz! 

            "Jack Sparrow, you little liar!" Belle scolded, "All this time you made me think you couldn't dance, and here you are, acting like the inventor of the waltz himself!" 

            "What can I say, luv?" he asked, batting his long eyelashes, "I'm a man o' many contradictions.  And you, me bonny gel, are a woman o' many contradictions."

            "Oh?  How so?"

            The crew cheered when Jack swept her around a couple of times before dipping her so low, her head almost touched the deck floor.   

            After he whipped her back up again, he continued, "Well, ye were so hoity toity about maintainin' yer highstandin' morals and so bloody angry wit' me for kissin' ye back there in the alley, ahem, which might I add saved yer life, but anywho…now here ye are, dressed like some bar wench, back in me arms once again." 

            Belle sighed and said, "It wasn't easy for me to give up the life I once led, Sparrow.  And I'm sorry if I've been harsh on you.  I suppose…"

            Jack raised his eyebrows, maintaining eye contact with her as he twirled her around in his arms, her skirts brushing against his trousers as they fanned out around her long legs.  "You suppose?"

            She smiled, "I suppose the reason I have been so unfairly catty with you is because I do not want you to find my weak spots." 

            "Weak spots, eh?  Now what makes ye weak in the knees, luv?" 

            "If I told you that…I'd have to kill you." 

            "I like my women vicious.  No worries, darlin'.  I could use a little smackin' around every once in a while.  I wouldn't want to get too egotistical."  He paused before winking at her and adding, "Especially if that smackin' around comes from ye." 

            "I would find extreme pleasure in torturing you, Captain Sparrow.  Mark my words." 

            Jack's eyes widened with wickedness, and she groaned inwardly.  Why did everything she say get twisted into something so perverse when it came to him?

            "What would ye do to me, luv?  Cuff me?  Use th' whip?  Perhaps a bit o' spankin', aye?" 

            "The whip sounds interesting," she replied with a secretive smile.  Jack almost choked on his own saliva.  He expected some harsh order to get his mind out of the bilges.  He never expected her to play along.  He grinned, his kohl-rimmed, beautiful eyes studying her.  _Let's see how far we can take this lil' game o' ours.  _

Belle, on the other hand, was marveling at how Jack's face changed so rapidly when she had caught him off guard.  She liked it.  She liked that slack-jawed stare of amazement and perversity. 

            "Would ye have to tie me up first?  O' would ye sweet-talk me into goin' willingly?" he questioned huskily. 

            Belle suddenly realized they had stopped dancing for quite some time now, and were just standing in the middle of the deck, looking like complete fools.  Some of the crew were staring at them with mild interest, the others were too drunk too give a rat's arse. 

            "Matters if you would lend me some rope…perhaps I would just have to use my garters." 

            Jack bit back a groan and shook his head, saying, "Ye keep surprisin' the hell out o' me, Miss Blake.  I ne'er know what to expect from you."

            "Then my duty upon the Black Pearl is going along smoothly…" she commented with a wink, "Because part of the reason I came along in the first place was just to keep you on your toes." 

            "You're doing perfectly, darling," he responded, gently pulling her closer to him, "Now how about we discuss more about torturin' the likes o' me, hmm?" 

            "Belle!" Anamaria hollered, swinging a mug of rum in her hand, "Come o'er here and have somethin' to drink for ol' times sake!" 

            "Don't mind if I do," Belle said with a nod in her direction.  Turning to Jack, she added, "Excuse me," before beginning to walk in Anamaria's direction.  She wasn't prepared for Jack grabbing her by the arm and keeping her next to him. 

            "No…you're staying….right…here.  Captain's orders, savvy?  And must I remind ye of how ye can't hold a lick o' alcohol?" Jack whispered into her ear. 

            Belle glanced back at Anamaria, who was raising her eyebrows at them.  She shrugged her shoulders as if to say 'maybe some other time' and went back to drinking by her onesies. 

            "If its rum ye be wantin', I have that in me cabin."

            She cringed.  How long could she keep this up?  Pushing him away just so she could fall right back to where she started with Captain Sparrow?  He was relentless! 

            "No, I just wanted some female company." 

            "Well, luv," Sparrow said, feigning shock and surprise, "I didn't know ye preferred the ladies." 

            "You know what I mean!" Belle cried in exasperation, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at him with wild eyes, "Do not twist my words." 

            "Follow me," Jack ordered and tugged her along until they were standing away from the loud laughter and noise, away from the crew.  Goosebumps formed on her skin when she realized she was alone with him behind the mast.  Jack bent over and grabbed a bottle of rum that was rolling solo across the floorboards.  He uncorked it and handed it to her.

            She stared down at the brown bottle in her hands.  "And what do you want me to do with this?" 

            "Take a gulp, luv.  You're thinkin' too hard for my taste.  Ye have to relax on a night like this.  Loosen up and all that." 

            "And what, pray tell, do you want me to loosen up for?" 

            He shrugged innocently.  She narrowed her eyes at him before sighing in defeat, pursing her lips against the bottle and taking a long swig.  He laughed when she scrunched up her face in distaste. 

            "Every time I think the rum may taste better, it doesn't.  Still the same old nasty, vile drink." 

            "Belle!" Jack gasped, grabbing the bottle and cradling it in his arms lovingly, "Don't say that!  Yer hurtin' its feelings!"  And he promptly downed half the bottle. 

            Of course Belle should have never even taken a drink, for she felt the fuzziness continue to overwhelm her senses until every muscle in her body relaxed.  She was sitting across from Jack, who was leaning against the mast, gazing at her.  His hat was cocked at a jaunty angle atop of his head, but those brown eyes, brightened by the moonlight, were eerily watching her every move. 

            "I figure rum isn't so bad," Belle said and yawned, rolling her neck while smiling lazily.  She let out a little 'ow' when her neck cracked, releasing even more of the tension that she had pent up inside of her. 

            "Jack…where would you want to go after Trinidad?"

            "Who knows, luv?  Wherever the Pearl wants to go, I suppose.  Rome…Spain…"

            "What if going after my father's ship is just a big goose chase?  This is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.  We can't search the entire ocean for one measly ship." 

            "Who says we can't?  We can sure as hell try, darlin'.  Don't get your knickers in a twist about it." 

            "Too late," she replied with a smile. 

            Sparrow stroked his goatee braids and said simply, "Oh?  Should I check for ye, then, just to make sure?"

            "What?"

            "If your knickers are in a twist," he remarked with a grin.  She didn't respond to his crude comment, only rolled her eyes in his direction. 

            "I've given up on you, Jack Sparrow.  I cannot put an end to this vulgar madness of yours.  Not now, not ever.  It's just not possible."

            She glanced up and was frankly disturbed that he was grinning no longer.  The sly smirk had been wiped off of his face like the rouge on a whore during a rough night.  He crawled slowly over to where she sat and crouched next to her.  Running a hand across her cheek in the gentlest of whispers, his lips parted.  She opened her mouth to say something but he said quietly, "Shh, lass." 

            Belle was ready for what she had coming to her.  Suddenly, she felt Jack's warm hands against her thighs through the fabric of her dress.  He lowered his head and nuzzled the side of her face.  She could hear him breathing in her sweet scent.  His moustache and goatee tickled her flushed skin. 

            "So I win?" he questioned in the lowest of voices, skimming his lips across her own, barely touching, before she managed to answer:

            "You win." 

----------

Oh snap!  Review please.  They are wonderful gifts to the writer.  If you have any comments or critiquing, maybe ways that I can make my writing better…don't hesitate to tell me! 


	17. Taking the Plunge

Disclaimer: I own nothing from _Pirates of the Caribbean_. Ain't that just the luck?

Author's Note: Oh boy! Secret Window came out yesterday! And I already watched it twice. Mwahahaha. Anywho, I thought it was about time we all go back to see how Mister Sparrow and Miss Blake are holding up in their 'intimate' situation. (wink) Enjoy!

-"You win."-

Belle could feel herself falling into the vertigo of lust before she could even try to stop the unbearable, new sensations from overriding her senses. She wet her lips nervously as Jack stared down at her, expecting her to say something else.

"Well, that was simple," he said in a surprised tone before leaning over and crushing his lips onto hers, molding her into his body with his hands, pushing her against him so they fit together perfectly like a man and a woman should.

"Jack, not here…someone will hear us!" she whispered hoarsely, "Not here!"

"OH BELLE!" Jack suddenly shouted, an evil gleam in his eye as he stared down at her defiantly, "If YE WANTED TO TOUCH ME THERE, ALL YE HAD TO DO WAS ASK!"

Belle's mouth dropped in horror. Surely the whole crew had heard their captain yell out that sentence as well as the dramatic moan he added near the end. Sparrow was trying to embarrass her!

"What are you doing?!" she hissed, glaring up at him as he roughly kissed her again, extinguishing her words before yelling with a high pitched sigh, "BELLE, THAT FEELS SO GOOD! YES, RIGHT THERE! OHHH!"

Belle, utterly humiliated, pushed him off of her with such force that he flew backwards, falling head over heels out from behind the mast. The crew sat there, staring on while laughing uproariously.

"That, Captain Sparrow, is what I think of your childish pranks! Now good night! I hope nightmares plague your sleep!" she cried, swatting him in the head before turning and beginning the march to her cabin, trying to desperately salvage the dignity she had left.

"Jack, what are ye doin' to the blushin' virgin?" Gibbs questioned with a hearty sigh.

Belle heard Gibbs's remark and froze. She turned around, shot him the most evil look she could muster, then headed below deck without so much as another backwards glance, muttering wildly, "Blushing virgin? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

After she disappeared, Gibbs added, "And why would ye go ruinin' your chances with her, Jack? It's not like ye to seize an opportunity and then lose it so quickly."

Jack really didn't know. His immature display had cost him what he thought must have been the only chance he had of bedding Miss Blake. Acknowledging this, he instantly fell into the worst of all moods. Scrunching his hat atop of his head, he sashayed over to the helm, a scowl etched onto his face. Why had he done that? Why had his mouth run away with him when it could have been running along her nape, across her lips…and other various places of hers he had only gotten a good peek at in his dreams? _You stupid bastard! Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

"Scared away the gel, did ye?" Ana asked, walking up to him calmly, "What did ye think she would do, enjoy the shame ye were bestowing upon her? Tsk tsk. I thought ye were more intelligent than that."

"Bugger off, Ana," he growled, flicking his gaze to the starlit horizon.

"Well, it seems that you'll be havin' to bugger off by your onesies tonight! Ta!" she replied with a wink, and Jack hissed in frustration. Would they just bloody leave him alone? He understood he messed up…he understood it was very likely that he wouldn't get a second chance.

_Women.__ They are as shifty as the __Caribbean__ wind. They spend their entire lives changing their direction_, Sparrow mused bitterly. Lucky for him, Belle lacked experience…so she wouldn't know how his screw-up wasn't only causing _her_ pain. His lust was causing him to double over with painful need. She wouldn't have that knowing satisfaction of how desperate he was to get her back. And he liked it that way. The less she knew, the better.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Meanwhile, Belle was cackling maniacally.

"What an idiot!" she cried, tears streaming from her eyes. And it wasn't from sadness or embarrassment…it was from wicked satisfaction of finding the whole situation entirely too amusing. Belle wasn't completely in the dark about things. She had most certainly noticed that look he sent her way as she stormed off in such a fuss.

Jack Sparrow had been biting his lip, seeming so utterly desperate she could hardly hold back her bark of laughter. His eyes were still darkened with unspent passion, his fingers twitching with the urge to_ who knew what_? She'd rather not know what that perverted scoundrel had planned to do to her.

Oh, but those hands! Those lips! She couldn't get enough of that sweet, sweet torture he bestowed on her. She bent her head and sniffed the sleeve of her dress...it smelled like him. Damn him to blazes, it smelled like him! Now, unless she changed, she wouldn't be able to get any decent amount of sleep even if she tried.

The only thing that made her feel better about her current predicament was knowing that Sparrow was in the same boat.

And Gibbs! Why did the crew say such horrid things about her when she was only three feet away from them? Of course she could hear…she wasn't deaf for crissakes. All that "blushing virgin" and "innocent buxom beauty" stuff was driving her mad.

_Wait a minute…am I willing to go to the point of no return with Mister Sparrow?_

Belle had an idea. A fabulous, devilish idea that she might be able to pull off. Hell, by all means, Jack Sparrow would buy it. But it was all a matter of considering if she was ready to take the big plunge.

Was she?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The festivities had long since ended, and the crew had long since retired to their cots for the night. Jack stood at the helm, annoyed and thoughtful, which was a bad combination. The more he thought about what happened a couple hours before, the more annoyed he got. It was an endless cycle.

Ana, meanwhile, was up in the crow's nest, trying to rest off the alcohol from her system.

"Captain!" she called, staring down at him with a frown.

"What do ye want?" he hollered back, massaging his temple in agitation as he craned his neck to look up at her.

"Want me to take the helm? Ye aren't lookin' so well," she replied, hastily adding after Jack glared at her, "I mean, ye look a bit peaky, is all. The night's finally caught up wit' ye."

"The night ne'er catches up with Captain Jack Sparrow," he muttered to himself and then yelled, "Fine! C'mon down here. I wouldn't mind a bit o' sleep before dawn."

Anamaria climbed down expertly and walked casually over to where Jack stood slumped against the helm. She grabbed the helm and waved him away, saying, "I've got it from here, Sparrow. Go rest."

"All right, me Ana. Get me up a bit before the sun rises, aye?"

"Aye, Captain. Sweet dreams!"

He sashayed over to his cabin, slamming the door open and closing it roughly. He shrugged off his coat and tossed his hat down, beginning to undress before he stopped mid-motion.

Belle was sitting on his bed, watching him without a smile, without a playful look in her eyes, without so much as a 'hello'.

"Belle, ye lil' peepin' tom! How did ye slink in here unnoticed?" he asked, running a hand across his stubbly goatee.

"I've been waiting for you," she replied slowly. Her unwavering stare was making him uneasy.

He walked slowly to the table, grabbed the lonely bottle of rum that was sitting there and uncorked it, replying, "Is that so?"

"Yes." She stood up and stepped closer to him while saying, "You made a fool of yourself today."

"Ye don't really need to point that out, luv. That's just a part o' me nature. Always gotta be the one wit' the last laugh." He scrunched up his face, staring at her closely, saying, "What is it ye be needin' Belle? I was goin' to get some shut-eye so if ye could hurry it up a bit…"

"I suppose I could." She swallowed hard and took another step closer to him, replying calmly, "This is not quite easy for me, and I haven't done anything like this before, so…"

"Just spit it out, lass!" he ordered in exasperation, flinging his hands around, "What is it ye be wantin'?"

"You." And with that simple word she placed a hand on his chest and backed him against the wall, none too lightly.

Sparrow almost choked on air. His eyeballs bulged a bit out of his head as he stared down at her perfectly at-peace face and squeaked, "W-w-what?" Not the manly response he was aiming for, but it would have to do.

She grabbed one of his goatee braids and yanked his head down to hers. He responded, clashing his tongue with hers, but as he was about to wrap his arms around her, she pinned his arms to his sides. He broke away and stared at her flushed face quizzically.

"Let me," she whispered, "You usually do enough 'wooing' for the both of us. I believe it is my turn…savvy?"

"Savvy," he croaked as she began yanking his sash from his waist and undoing his belt with impatient, rough tugs. He melted against the wall and closed his eyes, casting his gaze upwards as he groaned, "Oh_, in the name of all that is Holy_…!!"

His belt and sash were thrown to the floor. Belle began to unbutton the rest of his shirt and ran her hands across the new revealed, tanned flesh after pushing the fabric off of his shoulders.

"Belle…" he said in a warning, husky whisper as her cheeks turned pink…and then she pressed her lips to his chest.

"I won't last another minute if ye keep up wit' that…!" he gasped and grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her gently away from him.

"Captain, just shut up and kiss me."

"Your wish is me command, Miss Blake." And then they fell into each other's passionate embrace.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Anamaria squinted as she noticed the faintest tinge of morning light on the dark horizon. The sun was rising. Yawning, she wrapped the rope around the helm to keep it steady. Sparrow should have gotten a decent five hours of sleep by then, and it was about time she woke him up. She had been easy on him as it was, giving him an extra half hour of shut-eye to get those little baggies to vanish from underneath his eyes.

She casually strolled over to Jack's cabin and placed her hand on the doorknob.

It was an easy task to scare the bejeesus out of him and startle him out of a deep sleep…

After all, he never locked the door.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Oh no! Review please, and I thank you all for reading!


	18. Drastic Measures

Disclaimer:  Nope.  Me no own, you no sue.  If there was even the slightest possibility of owning Jack Sparrow, I'd be on the verge of doing snoopy dances right now.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

            There wasn't even time to react.

            "Wake up, ye lazy arse!" Anamaria bellowed as the door slammed open, banging against the wall and screeching to a halt. 

            Jack jumped, making a grab for Belle who had been peacefully slumbering on his chest.  Her eyes refocused as she peered at the figure silhouetted in the doorway, her mouth dropping open.

            Anamaria was staring wide-eyed, at a loss for words. 

            Jack let out a strangled curse as he hoisted the sheets up from their hips and yanked them close to Belle's chest, not wanting Anamaria or any of the crew to get a show. 

            Belle's cheeks burned as she peeked from behind Sparrow's back, where he had pushed her in his desperate attempt to protect her from the eye ogling.  She had been humiliated a lot in her lifetime, but this was downright shameful.  Here she was, naked in Sparrow's bed, and not only a minute ago had she been asleep on top of him.  Even a fool would piece together what was going on. 

            The innocent virgin was virgin no more. 

            "Do you _mind_, Anamaria?!" Jack cried in exasperation, waving his arms wildly.

            "I can't fuckin' believe it," Anamaria said with a shake of her head, still gaping in awe, "I just can't believe it."

            Even Belle, having known Anamaria the least amount of time compared to the other crewmembers, knew that she was a major gossiper.  News of this would be around the entire Pearl come noon.  Even Jack wouldn't be able to stop it. 

            "Get OUT!" Jack hollered impatiently, "Do ye need directions?  Out with you!"

            "Fine, fine…" Anamaria grinned, "I'll let you two enjoy yourselves a lil' while longer."  Then she actually had the nerve to peer over Jack's shoulder and shoot Belle a lewd wink before whistling cheerfully and strutting out, closing the door behind her.

            "Jesus Christ…" Jack muttered, "Can't a man have his privacy?"  He glanced past his shoulder and added, "Ye alright?" 

            "Of course," she replied quietly, "Right as rain." 

            "Good."  He took her chin with his fingers and gave her a quick, rough kiss on the mouth before hopping out of bed and searching for his clothes. 

            She blushed instantly.  Of course, the night before she had become acquainted with his anatomy, but seeing it in broad daylight made gazing at his nude profile seem wicked.

            He had handsome feet.  She almost giggled thinking that, but he did.  They suited him, with those tan toes and sturdy ankles.  His calves flexed and his thighs clenched as he leaned over to claim his rumpled shirt on the floor, meanwhile exposing his delightfully sculpted rear end for her viewing pleasure.  As he straightened, she noticed that his beautiful back was ridden with scratches she hadn't seen before.  Oh bullocks, she thought with a grin, she had made those marks.  Now front wise...Jack was well endowed, no doubt about that.  Belle felt herself flush a deeper shade of red as she caught herself staring at it.  Her eyes ran up to his tanned chest, which was riddled with scars and memories.  He had told her the stories of how he had gotten them as she had traced them with her fingers and her lips.  His shoulders, how she loved where his shoulders and his lovely neck met at the throat…it was by far her most favorite place to kiss. 

            Jack Sparrow finished pulling up his trousers and yanking on his boots when he finally noticed her studying him.  "What is it, luv?"

            "Nothing."  She smiled.  _Caught in the act!_

He tugged on his hat over his unruly dreads before swaggering over to her and tracing an imaginary line along her bare shoulder.  "How…are ye feelin'?" he asked hesitantly, as if he were uncomfortable asking her such a thing. 

            "What?  What do you mean?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow, "I feel fine." 

            "I mean…" he let his gaze wander and she followed his brown eyes down to her lap.

            "Oh…" she blushed again, "Just a little sore.  I am fine, really."

            Jack nodded before walking back towards the door.  He paused, saying, "Ye can stay in here a while longer.  Take your time.  But when you do finally manage to come out…ignore the crew."  And then he left.

            _Was that it?  _A request to ignore the gossip?  So he _did_ know the crew would have gotten full wind of it by now.  And he seemed discomforted by the whole thing.

            Belle glanced out the window and out at the open sea, at the glistening waves capturing the sunlight.  It was like any other day on the Black Pearl.  But it wasn't. 

            Things had changed. 

            Getting out of bed, she almost stumbled against the bedstand when the first real ache hit her abdomen full blast.  Belle bit her lip before walking carefully over to the full-length mirror on the other side of Jack's cabin. 

            She let out a puff of breath and sent her jagged blonde locks out of her eyes to study her figure.  Belle didn't look different.  She thought if she ever made love to a man, she would look more mature, more wise, more confident. 

            Nope, same ol' Belle.

            What ever happened?  If the respectable women back at her home port knew she was partaking in such relations with a pirate, she would be an outcast.  A whore.  A miscreant.  She would be a sinner.  Anyone who touched her would get the vile filth of a woman gone astray. 

            But that was just it.  She wasn't Miss Gilily anymore.  Those days were over.  She was Belle Blake, daughter of pirate Captain Blackstone Blake.  Lover of pirate Captain Jack Sparrow.

            _Lovers.  _Belle knew that in her heart, if she hadn't felt something extraordinary for Jack, she would have never let him touch her.  But something was there…and that same something scared her. 

            She had done the seducing until Jack was shaking with unspent lust and decided to turn the tables.  Of course he had to…he was more experienced in _those _areas.  Belle did know the nature of men and women, after all, she was an educated young woman, but it was more than education…it was primal instinct, something Jack was full of. 

            She knew he had had tons of women, but there she felt something different in the way he handled her.  He hadn't been playful.  He knew it was her first, and he slowly took her, making her writhe and whisper his name with such emotion that it frightened her.  He enjoyed her, making sure she enjoyed him in return. 

            Belle ran her hands down her abdomen and made a face at her reflection, sticking out her tongue.  Yes…she hadn't changed, all right. 

            She got dressed slowly and ran a hand through her tousled hair before making her way into the sunlight.  Hopefully the crew wouldn't notice the slight limp she had recently attained. 

            The hollering and chatter of the crew died down a bit as she gazed around.  Bugger it all, they noticed it all right…those knowing smirks told her everything.  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jack at the helm conversing coordinates with Gibbs.  Grabbing a mop and pail, Belle chose to ignore the stares she felt being drilled into her back.  Sighing, she realized it was going to be a _long _day.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

            Night had fallen and the exhausted Belle took her seat at the dining table, watching the crew as they partook in their own discussions and jokes.  Trays stacked with food were slowly being carried to the table, and she had to duck in order for the men place them down around the dripping wax candles and stained plates.  Belle had no doubt that some of the conversations were about her…it had been like that the whole damn day.  No one would talk to her, not even Gibbs, the man that had always treated her with kindness and compassion.  It was as if she had a disease she couldn't rid herself of. 

            "Men!" Jack called as he gallantly took the naturally vacant seat next to Belle, "And women," he added with a glare after Anamaria pegged him with a roll, "I want to see this food gone!  I don't want any rotten food in me bilges, savvy?  Now eat!"

            Belle took her fair portion of meat, vegetables, and biscuits and began mashing them onto her plate.  After a couple minutes, she realized she hadn't even eaten a single bite…she just played with her food mindlessly as she watched Jack grinning and talking with the boys.  She was content doing that until, of course, someone had to bring up a topic that involved _her_. 

            "So, Captain, I heard ye had a lil' roll in the hay with our Miss Blake here," Linus spoke up with a sly smile, "Was it nice?"

            "Aw, ye should have seen it, son!" Anamaria informed him with a bark of laughter, "I walk in on them cuddling like rabbits!  Sickening, that's what it was!" 

            "That's not all they did like rabbits, I wager," Gerald pointed out before taking a bite of his chicken leg. 

            Meanwhile, Belle had her face in her hands.  Jack was glaring at all of them playfully before saying, "Now now…don't upset the lass, aye?  This isn't appropriate dinner conversation." 

            She glanced up incredulously, asking, "And how would you know what is appropriate, Jack?" 

            The table guffawed, waiting for his retort.

            He grinned down at her, replying, "There's a fine line between appropriate and not appropriate.  And what we did last night would be classified as a bit o' both." 

            Her mouth dropped and the crew nodded in acknowledgment. 

            "Why don't you just share it with the whole world, why don't you?" she muttered. 

            "If I could, me darling, I would…I would climb up to the highest mountaintop and proclaim how beautiful ye look when you're on the brink of…" 

            "Shhhhh!" she hissed as Mr. Cotton raised his eyebrows and actually turned a bit pink himself. 

            "Poor gel, still trying to salvage her innocence when Jack done stole it right from under her nose," Anamaria mused, "Tis a pity, that's what it is." 

            "Indeed," Belle said as she picked up her wine glass, shooting a glare towards Jack, "A pity." 

            "No regrets, luv," he winked, and instantly she felt his leg purposefully rub against hers underneath the table.

            Belle was so startled, she dropped her wine glass, sending the red contents cascading into Jack's lap. 

            "Oh dammit!" he cursed and jumped up from his chair.  The crew cheered hysterically. 

            "It was an accident!" she said hastily, "I'm sorry!"

            "I bet you are, you lil' vixen!" he shot back with an evil stare, looking at his soaked trousers.  He turned on his heel and staggered out of the galley.

            "Jack, wait!" she called impatiently, dislodging herself from her seat and rushing after him. 

            "Ye just want to help him out of his pants!" Anamaria hollered.

            "BUGGER OFF!" Belle shouted back before scurrying up the stairs.  She had reached his cabin just as Jack began going through his trunk, looking for a new pair of trousers as she said, "You know it was an accident, Jack."

            "I know that, and it's Captain Jack Sparrow, luv," he answered with an impish smile.

            "Just Jack," she corrected sternly.

            He stole a curious glance at her before continuing his search for new pants.  "You didn't even eat your food." 

            "I'm not hungry," she shrugged, leaning against the door, "I was having way too much fun dousing you with alcohol anyway."

            "Guess I should give ye some kind o' warning before I try to touch ye underneath tables, aye?"

            "I suppose."  There was an awkward silence and Jack stood up, shuffling his feet uncomfortably.  "Well…" Belle said with a nod, "I think I'm going to go to retire early tonight.  Have to prepare for a brand new day, hmm?  Good night, Jack."  She placed her hand on the doorknob and he cleared his throat.

            "What are ye doing, Belle?"

            "Going to my quarters, why?"

            Jack grinned, fiddled with a trinket in his hair, and replied, "Silly gel.  You _are_ standin' in your quarters." 

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Woo, it's getting late!  Aw, so Belle thought it was a one night deal and then hit the road!  Now she's Jack's main squeeze.  His sunshine on a rainy day.  The sprinkles on his ice cream cone.  His…I've ran out of metaphors.  If Jack said that to me, I'd have a hot flash and then faint.  Seriously. 

Thank you all for reviewing!  Do it again, do it again! 


	19. Right Decisions

Disclaimer: Me no own. You no sue. Savvy?

A/N from PineAppleLint, the creator of such Too Much Rumness: Classes have started, the excuse I am going to use for not getting this chapter up in proper time. Again, my apologies. July 26th was the one year anniversary of _A Little Too Much Rum_. How scary is that? : ) Hope you've been enjoying it as much as I have enjoyed writing it!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Belle awoke in the middle of the night to an unwelcoming, empty bed. She hadn't realized it at first…she had stretched and reached out for Jack, but her hand ran along the abandoned, rumpled sheets instead. Sitting up sleepily, she glanced around the room to find Jack sitting in a chair next to the window, clad in only a pair of wrinkled trousers. The moonlight accented the dark circles under his eyes from insomnia, glittering off of his gold teeth as he yawned.

"Can't sleep?" Belle asked, concern lacing her voice.

He shook his head at her, meeting her eyes. Of course Jack didn't want to admit that he couldn't get himself to sleep the night before…instead, he had watched her dream with a peaceful smile on her lips, silently wondering if he had made a good decision in bedding her. Most women her age were married to respectable men and already with child or raising a family. Had he taken it too far by stealing her innocence?

She threw her bare legs over the side of the bed, wrapping a sheet around herself and running a hand through her jagged blonde hair.

Jack watched Belle as she walked slowly over to him and leaned down, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek as he sighed. Perhaps he did make a wrong choice. She deserved to make love under the stars on her wedding night, not in the middle of the ocean with a lying, cheating scallywag. But here he was with her again for the second night in a row.

Belle's lips captured his again and he groaned into her mouth. "You lil' tease," he commented with a particularly wicked grin, "You're like an addiction, Miss Blake."

"I'll take that as a compliment," she winked, then casually walked over to the open window, resting against the wall and staring out at the considerably choppy waves. "Are we due for a storm, Jack?"

"I've been watchin', luv. Somethin' isn't right wit' the weather. I think we might be in for somethin' big, I…" he paused, staring at the delectable goddess standing before him, her hair softly whispering around her head from the wind, her face illuminated by the moon. A delicious vision in bedsheets if he ever saw one.

"Jack?"

"Yes, darlin'?" Jack snapped out of his delightful reverie, slowly twirling a dreadlock between his fingers.

She didn't answer, only ran a finger down the spine of the book sitting placidly next to him. The map book she had given him. Belle smiled, undeniably pleased.

"Just doin' a bit of reading," he said, stretching like a cat before grabbing her and gently placing her in his lap.

Settling her head on his shoulder, Belle teased, "You can _read_?" She let out a muffled snort when he poked her between the ribs. She settled more solidly into his embrace and watched as he wiggled his toes.

Running a finger down her arm, he smiled when goosebumps instantly marked her flesh from his light caressing. "I can read all matters o' things, thanks very much. I'm an educated man. I just use me knowledge a lil' differently, that's all."

They both grew quiet once more, silently enjoying each other's company.

"You know Jack, I was dreaming about you tonight," she informed him softly.

He turned his head to the side in order to properly look at her face. "Was it somethin' exotic, Belle? I know ye want me, poor gel, but I didn't know that ye want me so bad that it plagues your sleep as well."

"Silly lout. It wasn't that sort of dream. I didn't like it at all."

"Was I wearin' a dress?" Jack suddenly asked out-of-the-blue.

"What?" Belle glanced up at him, her interest piqued, "No, why say that?"

"Gibbs had a dream o' me in a dress once. O' course, it was after a rough night…some drinkin' was involved…" Jack knitted his brows together in concentration before adding, "I think it was…absinthe was it? Oh yes. A night I'll never forget. Stay clear o' absinthe, luv. I promised meself I'd never touch the stuff again."

"Sparrow, you never cease to amaze me. I wouldn't be surprised if it _hadn't been _a dream."

"Dresses and absinthe are no laughing matter," he scolded playfully, "Now what were we talkin' about? Ah, your dream."

"Right. Hmm, you were talking to this intimidating bloke next to the plank on the Pearl. He talked of some island and leaving you with two pistols instead of one."

Jack's blood ran cold. "…and how I should be the gentleman, shoot the lady, and starve to death meself?"

Belle's eyes widened ever so slightly. "How did you know?"

"That actually happened," he said with a frown, "How did ye dream tha'?"

"I haven't the faintest idea. Who was that man, Jack?"

"The late Captain Barbossa. I killed him around two years ago. He was me first mate, left me to die, that whole bit."

"The same Barbossa from the Isla de Muerta?"

"Yes. Haven't I told you the tale before, luv?"

"Not directly. I've heard the stories before leaving Port Royal. And I've heard you mentioning things to the crew. Telling stories and such."

"And when did ye start listenin' to me stories, luv?" he questioned, brown eyes twinkling, "You of all people know most of them are codswallop."

She yawned and said sleepily, "Indeed. I can tell when you're being a despicable liar, Captain Sparrow. Women have a sixth sense about these things…"

"That's what's different about me," he replied impishly, "Most women are too busy noticin' me physical attributes than listenin' to the hogwash comin' from me mouth. Ain't that right, Belle? Belle?" He glanced down, noticing her drifting off to sleep in his arms, leaving him to his own unanswered thoughts.

Jack relaxed in the chair, pressing her closer against him and staring out the window once more as new questions joined his already jumbled mind, ones about Belle.

How could the sweet siren dream moments of the exact past, moments she had never experienced personally? It wasn't possible.

Well, it wasn't _probable_.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Next day around __noon__…_

"You're slurping your soup, Jack."

"Am not!"

Belle sighed. "Yes, you are."

"I plead innocent!"

"How can you plead innocent when I can HEAR you slurping your soup?! It's simply illogical!"

Jack threw down his soup spoon, glaring at her. "With all these vegetables in the soup, how can ye NOT slurp the soup? You have to get your lips around them in order to sip politely, and even THEN do they touch your nose, fall in your lap and whatnot!"

"I don't think you would have a problem getting your lips around places," she said with a raised eyebrow.

Jack gasped mockingly. "Did me sweet, innocent gel make a sexual innuendo?"

"I did not. Now let's get on with the lesson…"

"You did! Belle is talkin' dirty!" Jack exclaimed wickedly, steepling his fingers and adding, "I like this. I like it a lot." Throwing his boots leisurely onto the table, he ordered, "More please."

"More soup? Gladly."

"More 'innuendo'ing, you lil' vixen."

She took one hand and swiped his boots off of the table, him scowling at her as she did so. "NO feet on the table, first of all…"

"Me feet did not actually make contact wit' the blasted table," he said in annoyance, "Me boots did."

Belle held her face in her hands and literally growled as she said, "You are making this so difficult…"

"What can I say, luv? I'm good at what I do." He grinned at her, placing his hands behind his head and leaning back in the wooden chair comfortably.

As the chair hovered on two legs, Belle walked up to him and placed the spoon back in the soup…all the while kicking the unstable chair and causing Jack to go tumbling to the floor.

He sat up in his position on the floor, looking positively bewildered. "You did that on purpose!!"

"My foot slipped," she replied, unable to contain the small smile tugging at her lips.

"What an awful liar. Seems to me like I have a few things to teach _you_."

"I am not lying!"

"Swear to the great Lord Almighty?" he asked with a smirk, pointing to the ceiling, "You swear?"

"No." She burst out laughing as his face contorted into a hurt expression. Her laughter turned into bouts of shrieking as he jumped up from the floor and pounced at her. She barely made it out of his grasp as he swiped in her direction. Belle soon found herself at one end of the table and Jack at the other.

He grinned at her, licking his lips devilishly. "Ye can't run from me, darlin'."

"I sure can try," she said confidently, eyes darting towards the door frantically.

Suddenly, Jack had leapt onto the table and was walking across it with long, swaggering strides, right at her.

"No boots on the table!" Belle demanded over her shoulder as she turned on her heel, desperately making a run towards the open door. She felt him crash into her from behind, sending them both head over heels to the floorboards. In a matter of seconds, he had her pinned beneath him, smiling foolishly down at her as she glared defiantly back.

"That bloody hurt," she said sourly.

"It was supposed to," he replied naughtily, "Where does it hurt, my sweet? Do you want Jack to kiss it for ye?"

Belle pointed to an angry red mark on her elbow where it had connected to the wooden flooring amidst their fall. Jack took her arm in his hands, bent it, and pressed a smacking kiss to it. Patting it a couple times, he laid it back to her side.

She grinned and pointed to her forehead, and Jack leaned down, whispering his mouth across that as well. And when she pointed to her lips, well, how could he pass that up, right? He kissed her so thoroughly that they both didn't even notice when Mr. Gibbs stumbled into the room, quickly averting his eyes when he noticed the Captain and Miss Blake kissing rather enthusiastically on the floor of the galley.

"Cap'n?" Gibbs questioned after clearing his throat, "We need ye above."

Jack paused, taking a break from their little rendezvous to glance up and ask, "What is the problem, Joshamee?"

Gibbs hesitated, staring at Miss Belle, who was staring back at him upside-down from her position on the floor. Her face pink, her lips swollen, she let out a little sigh of embarrassment and waved to him, looking as if she wanted to flee but couldn't from being straddled by Jack in such a manner.

"Well sir," he began, "It's quite a sight, really. Don't know where it came from…the weather I mean. You may just have to take a look and see for yourself."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Maybe they could be on that show _Storm Stories_. I would watch it if Jack was on there. I feel a Weather Channel party comin' on! Break out the ponchos!

P.S. Say no to absinthe. (thinks of absinthe, which leads to thinking of From Hell, which leads to thinking of Inspector Abberline, which leads to thinking about wiping drool away from chin) Yum!

P.P.S. And that whole 'swaggering across the table' thing? I dedicate it to the music video "Girls Lie Too". It's delightfully delightful.

P.P.P.S. Review please and you will forever have a place in my scurvy heart.


	20. Meaningful Mishaps

Disclaimer: Miss Blake's adventures are all her own. And you'll never take her alive, Disney! NEVER! What? What was that? Oh, you hit below the belt. Not another 'your mom' joke. You'll pay for this!!!

A/N: I LIVE!

* * *

"Well sir," he began, "It's quite a sight, really. Don't know where it came from…the weather I mean. You may just have to take a look and see for yourself."

Jack raised his eyebrows and stood up abruptly, gently leaning over, placing Belle into his arms, and bringing her to her feet.

A crack of thunder shook straight through the Pearl's walls, rumbling inside of them all.

"What the _hell _is going on up there?" Jack muttered, grabbing her by the hand and following Gibbs above deck.

Belle, her curiosity at its peak, was practically on the heels of Jack's boots as she raced behind him. Suddenly, she felt herself crash into his back as he stopped in the middle of his path. Grabbing onto the back of his coat for support so she wouldn't fall down the steps and break her neck, she cried, "Goodness, Jack, what do you see?"

He slowly stepped out into the darkness in awe, staring straight up into the black, purplish clouds. The wind picked up and danced around them, flinging their hair every which way and tugging at their clothes.

"What should we do, Captain?" Gibbs questioned with a wince.

Jack let out a hysterical bark of laughter, catching them both off guard and causing them to jump. With one hand holding his tricorne hat to his unruly mane, he twirled around like a sea nymph, proclaiming gleefully, "I have never seen a thing like it! Christ, look at it! It's like all Hell's broken loose!"

A bright flash of lightning illuminated everyone's faces in an eerie manner. Jack looked psychotic.

"Jack," Belle said slowly, "I don't think now's a good time to be impressed with Mother Nature…this can get dangerous." A large water droplet smacked her in the nose to finish off her sentence.

He winked at her and shook his finger. "Don't be nervous, luv. The ol' Pearl can withstand anything She faces. She can face a whole army of sharks! A brigade of tsunamis! A…"

"Jack!" she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Alright, alright," he murmured, leaning in close and slurping the water droplet off her nose before adding, "I'm going to take care of it. Don't ye worry your pretty head about it."

She rubbed at her nose furiously with her forearm.

"Take down the sails!" Jack bellowed. Everyone began bustling about in a hurry to salvage what they could until the hellish storm began.

"Gibbs…how far's the nearest piece of land?" Jack asked, taking out his compass and fumbling with it.

"About an hour away, Jack. Ridgeway Cove." Gibbs pursed his lips together in thought before saying, "Ye think we'll last that long?"

"O' course we will! Think positive, mate!" Jack turned to Belle and said in a low voice, "I want you down below."

"I don't think so, Sparrow."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "You're going to follow me orders, young missy, and enjoy doing so, savvy?"

She placed her hands on her hips. "Why can't I help, _Captain_?"

Jack massaged his temple and let out a grunt of frustration. "Do you enjoy bein' so damn difficult all the time?"

"Of course."

His coat flapping in the wind, Jack turned on his heel and shouted, "Harry! Leftfoot! I'm going to be needin' some assistance!"

Belle backed away from him hesitantly.

Harry and Leftfoot stepped up to Jack and he whispered something hurriedly into their ears. They rolled their eyes before resting them on a stubborn Belle.

"What?!" she questioned in exasperation.

Suddenly, she found herself being held under the armpits and being dragged by the two strong men back downstairs.

"Jack!" she shouted, struggling against them, "You bastard!"

Sparrow took the helm and winked in her direction. The last thing he saw of her was two legs kicking out and thrashing in the doorway.

* * *

Jack hadn't expected to feel the wrath of Nature's fury to this extent. The sails were down and it was pitch black. Clutching the compass as the torrents of water splashed over him and dripped from his hat, he fought not to shiver. The water was unnaturally cold.

The Pearl groaned in pain as it fought with the waves, wrestling for control. "Hold in there, luv," he whispered, patting the helm lovingly as he held on for dear life, "Hold on."

Meanwhile, as the crew was holding on for dear life, Belle was lying against the door, frustrated beyond belief. The ship rocked and spun; she felt dizzy and disoriented. She got up from where she lay but was thrown back against the wall with horrible force, as if someone had shoved her in amidst their stormy ferocity.

_Jack_. If she was having trouble inside the galley, she couldn't imagine what Jack was dealing with above deck.

All of a sudden, she heard a humongous snap that reverberated throughout the whole ship. A bunch of shouting rose above the whistling wind and her heart leapt into her throat. Belle let out an angry cry as she struggled with the locked door, ramming it with her shoulder over and over.

Belle heard the lock click and she jumped away just as the door was kicked open. Gibbs and Mr. Cotton burst in carrying a limp Jack into the dark room.

She stared at them with wild eyes, following them with jerky, shocked movements as they laid him out onto the table. "Jesus…what the hell happened?!"

"A part of the main mast broke, swung down and smashed into him," Gibbs explained through gritted teeth, "He flew through the air and landed on his back…he was unconscious when we reached him."

The kohl was steadily dripping down Jack's face and he was absolutely soaked and pale.

"Where is he hurt?" she whispered frantically.

"His shoulder's dislocated and there's a possible concussion…" Mr. Gibbs replied seriously.

"What can I do to help?"

"Dead men tell no tales!" the parrot squawked cheerfully.

She shot Mr. Cotton's parrot a deathly glare.

"Help us get the coat off so we can take care of his arm."

She nodded quickly and Gibbs hefted Jack up by the shoulders, sitting him up. Jack's head lolled to the side, unmoving. But as soon as they struggled to get his arms out of the sleeves, Jack groaned and mumbled a few obscenities that even the raunchiest pirate would cringe at.

"Son of a bitch!" Jack croaked in fury, "My arm, God, stop messin' with it!" He began to shudder silently and Belle brought her hands up to his face.

"Jack," she whispered, "You'll be all right, I promise." The shuddering subsided a little as Jack stared at her through glazed eyes.

"You seem to calm him," Gibbs mentioned, "I'll go get the supplies while ye watch him." He stared down into her white face and added, "I've patched him up with worse many a time before, lass. You needn't worry." And then he was gone. Some crew members gathered around, helping Jack shrug off his coat.

Belle stroked the side of his face, suddenly feeling a pang of guilt for not being there when it happened. Damn Jack's foolishness. He was the one who locked her up in the first place!

Jack felt fuzzy. His limbs were numb except for the burning sensation in his right shoulder. It felt like someone was sticking a hot poker right into the joint and twisting it ever so slowly into his flesh. He felt something cool against his face and realized through the fogginess it was someone's hand. Someone was holding him up from behind and someone was in front of him, caressing his face gently.

"Silly lout," Belle grumbled, kissing the side of his wet cheek, stroking away his dripping hair, "Locking me up like some wild animal…"

Jack blacked out for a second and came to again, swimming in a dizzy fit.

"Stay with me, Jack, come on," she coaxed, "It's all right..."

Mr. Gibbs ran through the crowd, waving a bottle of alcohol in his hand.

"That's the _supplies_?" Belle snorted.

He held up a rag in the other hand and commented, "He's going to need something to dull the pain a bit, lass. And the rag is for him to bite down on. The location of his shoulder looks mighty nasty."

And for the first time, Belle noticed it. Through the white shirt sticking to his skin, she saw a bone jutting out at an odd angle from underneath his paled flesh.

Belle grabbed the bottle of what she guessed was whiskey and uncorked it, bringing it to his lips.

"Drink up," she ordered. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and she smacked him gently on the cheek. "Stay with me!"

She brought the bottle to his lips and poured it down his throat. He coughed and sputtered, but in a jiffy, half the bottle was consumed.

"That's Jack for ye," Gibbs muttered.

"Who's at the helm?" Belle wondered aloud, taking the rag and placing it between Jack's teeth.

"Anamaria. She knows what she's doing, so stop worryin'," Gibbs replied with a quick glance towards her, "All right, I'm going to count to three, and you're going to have to help hold him in place…"

Belle nodded, swallowing hard as she watched Gibbs take a hold of his shoulder. Jack moaned and his head rolled to the side.

"Brace yourself," Gibbs warned. Belle bit her lip so hard she tasted coppery blood.

"One…two…THREE!" Abruptly, Gibbs took Jack's shoulder and wrenched it into the socket. The room echoed with two sounds at once: the sound of Jack's horrible, deafening, stomach-flopping shout or the sickening _CRACK _as the limb popped back into place.

Belle broke out into a cold sweat and the room was silent. Jack was unconscious again.

Gibbs wiped the sweat off of his forehead and sighed.

"Can you gentlemen help carry him to his cabin? I'll take care of the rest," she assured them. They glanced at each other hesitantly before lifting Sparrow and trudging up the stairs with him in their arms.

* * *

Belle had long since undressed him, dried him off, and tucked him in the covers when Anamaria came bursting through the door, sopping wet.

"How's Jack?" she asked grimly.

"Resting." Belle grimaced and replied, "That was an awful display downstairs…"

"Dislocatin' limbs isn't a cup o' tea, I'll tell ye that," Anamaria smirked, "I just hope he doesn't suffer any more brain damage than he already has."

Belle sucked in a breath. "Could it really be that bad?"

"Hard to say," she responded, tapping a finger to her chin, "He went down pretty hard."

"Weren't you at the helm?" Belle asked curiously.

"The storm isn't dyin' and it doesn't look like it plans to for a while. I dropped anchor. We're on the eastern edge of Ridgeway Cove."

"I think we should stay on the Pearl," Belle informed her, "Jack would have wanted us to stay with her. And it would be dangerous to try and move him now. Too risky."

"I don't disagree with ye, dearie. I don't think it would be a very wise thing to do, even if Jack was in tip top shape."

"Why?"

"I spotted another ship across the way when there was lightning…there's people on that tiny island and I have no idea in hell who they could be."

"We'll just wait it out, that's all," Belle said tiredly, "That's all we can do for now."

"Damn straight," Ana said with a nod of her head, "Well, we'll be outside if ye need anything."

She whispered her thanks and watched her yank the door open and struggle to close it through all of the howling wind. The flames of the candles flickered and died, leaving her to shadows and blackness once again. Belle cursed inwardly and struggled to find the desk to see if there was anything to light them back up with, but the click of a pistol stopped her in her tracks.

The barrel of the pistol was pressing against her back. She raised her hands up in the air and slowly turned.

Lightning flashed, illuminating a shaky Jack standing there in naught but a baggy white shirt, pistol cocked, looking crazed.

"Jack!" she whispered, "What do you think you're doing?"

Lightning flashed again, showing the whites of his teeth as he clenched them. "First of all, I want my effects back. Second of all, what am I doing here, and thirdly…who the hell are you?"

* * *

AH! DRAMA! 


	21. A New Responsibility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Disney's.

A/N: I'm glad to be back! I've missed you all as well as these delightful characters! Let's get on to the story, shall we?

* * *

Lightning flashed again, showing the whites of his teeth as he clenched them. "First of all, I want my effects back. Second of all, what am I doing here, and thirdly…who the hell are you?"

"Wh-wh-what?" she stammered, blinking multiple times. Was her mind playing tricks on her? Did he say what she thought he said?

"Who the hell are ye and what am I doing here?" he demanded, pushing the barrel of the pistol into her abdomen.

"Very funny, Jack," she laughed nervously, "Stop playing games. I know you were traumatized by the accident but come on, really now…"

"Does it look like I'm toying around wit' you, Miss…?"

"Blake," Belle whispered, "Belle Blake." Her arms dropped to her sides and she felt lightheaded. No. It couldn't be. He didn't remember her? Not at all?

"Well Miss Blake…I suggest you gather up my effects for me at once or I will be willing to take drastic measures, savvy?"

"Do you know who you are?" she asked him softly.

"The infamous Jack Sparrow of course…_Captain_ Jack Sparrow if you please. This is amazin'…it's nice to be off o' that bloody island and stuck in a room with a saucy hellcat…" he murmured thoughtfully, beginning to pace in that mindless swagger of his, "How did I end up here?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" she pressed.

Jack grew quiet. His brow furrowed as he recalled, "Being marooned on an island with a single shot by me mutinous first mate, Barbossa." A torrent of fresh emotions sprang across his face and quickly vanished under that cool exterior of his, "You can help me forget about the whole ordeal tonight, luv." He slid a finger down the front of her bodice and she caught his hand in a vice-like grip.

"Jack…" she began.

"_Captain _Jack," he corrected with a shake of his finger, "Naughty naughty."

"…a lot has happened since you've been marooned…"

"Well, this is wonderful!" he cried gleefully, sweeping across the room with wild steps, "She's back! All of her! I thought that bastard would sail away wit' her for good…"

"Jack…"

"Are you alright, my darling?" he crooned, stroking the wooden wall of the Pearl, "That son of a bitch won't be bothering ye anymore. Mark my words."

"He won't," Belle whispered, "He's dead."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "What? And I suppose you're the one that killed him?" She cringed at the mockery lacing his voice.

"A lot has happened since you've been marooned, like I've been saying all along!" she said in exasperation, "You killed Barbossa and got the Pearl back. It's been years, Jack. You've been Captain and have remained Captain for a while now." She paused, hoping to see a flicker of recognition but received none. She continued, "You met me a while ago in Port Royal and we're looking for my father's ship. And…" she flushed, "We recently became, erm, lovers…"

"…I see." Sparrow's eyes roamed predatorily over her body many times. He licked his lips before saying, "I think you're makin' this cock n' bull story up."

"Why!" Belle cried in indignation.

"Because ye look like a good lay. And Jack Sparrow never forgets a good lay, savvy?"

Belle just stared at him. A terrorizing thought suddenly swept through her mind: _What if this was permanent?_ She'd have to start over with him again, rebuilding all that had been knocked down in terms of their familiarity, their trust...

"But I'm flattered that you'd make all o' this up just to have a little dirty roll in the hay wit' me, honestly. And ol' Jack would like to repay ye for your kindness," he commented with a suggestive wink. He took a step closer to her and she took a hesitant step back.

Holy Jesus, it was like de ja vu. She was back in Norrington's bedroom all over again, trying to ward off a rather horny pirate with weak defenses. Oh, how much had changed over the past months that had slipped through their fingers. It was a circle. She had ended up where she started.

"No Jack…you're sick…" she croaked, realizing he was backing her against a wall. He took one hand and slid it along the line of her jaw, touching her gently. Belle felt the familiar fire begin to kindle in her belly as her reasoning fought for control. _It would be like making love to a stranger…_

"How did ye get on me ship in the first place, darling?" he crooned, placing a lingering, 'innocent' little kiss to her cheek.

"You let me aboard," she said shakily, "Stop fondling me, please."

"I think if I let you aboard, I'd remember," he said in a low voice, blowing cool air against her nape before kissing the skin located there.

"Jack, you were hit in the head by a part of the mast during the storm which, might I point out, is still going on full force above deck. You dislocated your shoulder and you were unconscious. You woke up not knowing what has happened since you were marooned!" Suddenly, she was blinking back tears. "You have no idea who I am and I love you…"

The invincible Jack Sparrow sucked in a breath. It wasn't every day he had a beautiful young woman confessing her love for him to his face. And he didn't even know who the hell she was or where she came from! She might as well have dropped onto his bed from the bloody sky! He usually didn't receive words like this…usually, there were no words involved at all. Slaps or a quick rendezvous were all he got.

"I'm sorry…" she laughed bitterly, wiping away her tears furiously, "That wasn't something to tell someone who has amnesia."

The awkward air of silence was killing him. "I suppose not," he stated at last, eyeing her carefully.

"Well," Belle hastily wiped her tear-stained hands on the front of her breeches, "What's done is done. Now what we have to worry about is how you're going to be fit as captain in your condition…"

"I'm in great condition!" he argued, throwing up his hands in frustration.

"You are walking around, disoriented, in naught but your shirt. I would say that's a fine sign of not being fit for captaining a ship."

Jack retorted, "I remember lots of things…"

"…yet you do not remember me, Belle Blake, who got you wrapped up in this adventure in the first place." She placed her hands on her hips and waited for an answer. She didn't receive one as she watched Jack seethe silently, crossing his arms and glaring in her direction.

"Am I right?"

"I suppose," he huffed.

"Fine. First of all, put some damn pants on. Second of all, we need to figure out who you want in charge for the time being. Savvy?" She threw some trousers at him.

Jack caught them gracefully and began to pull them on. "Savvy. I'm sorry to disappoint you by removing me most agreeable assets from your eyesight…"

She smirked at him. "You think that was agreeable?"

He winced. "Ouch, luv. That stung. A direct blow to me dignity, that was."

"I was only kidding. Now, who's in charge? We have Anamaria, Gibbs…"

"You."

Speechless, she turned to him, blinking. "You can't be serious."

Jack Sparrow casually sat on the galley table and inspected her with a thoughtful glance. He looked odd without his usual kohl, which had been previously washed off in the torrents of rain. "Think about it, Miss Blake. You and I supposedly have a special pact to find your father's ship, aye?"

"Aye," she agreed uncertainly.

"You must know more information about it than the others, am I correct again?"

"Yes." She was beginning to feel faint, "But Jack, I couldn't possibly…"

"Gibbs and Anamaria, of course, can help navigate. I trust them with me Pearl as I trust you with this certain adventure of ours. Therefore, I'm leaving the act of giving orders up to you."

"_Me_?" Belle squeaked.

"Congratulations, Miss Blake," Jack replied with a mocking grin, "If you think I'm not fit for Captain for the time being, then you are takin' me place."

* * *

Holy molys! What is Belle going to do? Whose ship is docked at Ridgeway Cove? How is the crew going to respond to Jack's condition and to Belle's temporary position as Captain of the Black Pearl? Answers will come in due time, mates. Please review! 


	22. Call Me Captain

A/N: I've been staying exceptionally busy! Do not worry, dear readers, I have not abandoned _A Little Too Much Rum_. It's just been slow going.

Wasn't "Dead Man's Chest" amazing? I loved Jack. "I've got a jar of diii-iirrrt, I've got a jar of diii-iirttt! Guess what's inside it!"

PaL

* * *

"Congratulations, Miss Blake," Jack said with a mocking grin, "If you think I'm not fit for Captain for the time being, then you are takin' me place."

There was still a small part of her that wondered if he was joking or not. "Jack…you haven't even taught me everything I need to know in order to captain a ship! All hell will break loose…I…"

"You act like you aren't goin' to get any help in the matter," Jack replied in a frustrated tone, "I'll be here. So will Anamaria and Gibbs. If you be needin' assistance, just ask for help. Christ, you look like you're going to faint." He began to massage his shoulder as he stared at her in concern.

Wiping her hair away from her eyes, she let out a shaky sigh and sat down in defeat.

"There there, me gel," he patted her back and flashed her his gold teeth, "I need some time to rest like ye said. Give me a couple o' days and I'll take over where you left off."

"Alright. Now get back in bed, Jack." She pointed sternly to the rumpled sheets.

"Aye, Cap'n." He winked at her. "Will you be joinin' me? Perhaps to celebrate this new rank o' yers?"

"I'm afraid not, darl…" she paused at 'darling', wondering if she should be using such terms of endearments for him _now_. Now it seemed so...stuffy. A day ago Jack would have cared less and perhaps was even tickled by them.

He pulled off the most powerful pout he could muster before sinking back into the pillows and covers. "Could ye send in Anamaria and Gibbs, pet?" he questioned with a weak smile, "I'm going to tell 'em the news."

Belle stared at him, his sudden out-of-character weariness worrying her. Of course, being dashed in the head by a large object could do that to a person. Or in this case, make the insane Jack Sparrow act strangely sane.

Nodding slowly, she hurriedly opened the cabin door and called for them. Belle smiled at them awkwardly as they filed in past her. Giving them privacy, she shut the door and allowed them to talk without her standing silently in the corner, overhearing every word.

* * *

Belle stood at the Pearl's side, watching the choppy waves dance about. It was an overcast day, the lack of bright sunlight causing her foul mood to grow intolerably. She gripped the railing, taking in deep breaths of salty air, wanting to rid herself of every thought despairing her.

Immediately after sending Anamaria and Gibbs into Jack's cabin, she heard raised voices in the midst of a barely contained argument. Mr. Cotton passed by the closed door and stared at it for a moment or two, before casting a curious glance towards Belle. After a raise of his eyebrows, he continued walking, obviously not wanting any part of the tiff going on.

"Storm on the horizon!" Mr. Cotton's parrot squawked.

"You have got that right," Belle muttered, putting her face in her hands. Sneaking up to the door, she instantly placed her ear against it, attempting to listen to the bickering inside.

"I believe this is a valuable step…" Jack began.

"You're daft, Jack!" Gibbs cried, "This is the result of your impaired judgment…" Belle could practically hear a heart attack waiting to happen.

Knowing the fact that none of the crew believed she could take on the challenge of Captain didn't exactly leave her with a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

Well, she'd show them, right?

The door was thrown open and with brutal force, sent Belle flying to the floor. Anamaria was less than amused to find her eavesdropping.

"Most would cut off yer ear for eavesdroppin', Miss Blake. Shows a blatant disrespect for the Captain and first mates, it does."

"Pirate," she answered quickly, concealing her growing smile by shoving past her, "How is he?"

"He's fine…it's YOU we're worried about."

"What do you mean by 'who'?"

"Me. Joshamee. The crew."

"Oh." She peered from the doorway at a sleeping Jack and added, "You shouldn't excite him with your quarrels, Ana. It's not good for his receded health."

"He has to be put in the right mindset," Ana argued, walking towards the helm.

Following her, Belle said, "What does he need to be convinced of?"

"That naming YOU captain is the biggest mistake he could ever make in these present conditions!"

She knew it was coming, but it hurt to hear those words all the same. "Ana…" Belle began wearily, "I…"

Anamaria cut her off. "He's grown very fond o' you. All it takes is a pretty gel to distract him from his duties. Now on top o' that, he has _amnesia_. The last thing we need is to go gallivantin' off to find this Rising Sun for you."

Belle gripped the railing and took in a steady breath. If she gave up now, her time spent on the Pearl would have all been for nothing.

"If me being captain is what Jack wants," Belle suddenly spat, whirling around to face Anamaria, "Then that is what he most certainly will get. Got it?"

"Dammit, gel! You don't…"

"_The Rising Sun _means everything to me now," she continued harshly, ignoring Anamaria's cruel remark to her, "Don't you dare act like Jack's illness is only affectin' you. You know full well how I feel about the Captain, so seein' him like this is painful. He doesn't _know_ me at all and yet here I am with a smile on my face, waiting to carry out his orders."

This caused Anamaria to dwell in silence.

"So don't complain to me how this is difficult. All I want is to find MY ship and finish what I started." Belle grabbed her floppy hat off of the nearest peg and plopped it onto her head, hoping its thick brim would conceal the trembling of her bottom lip and allow her to maintain some sort of dignity.

Without another word, she confidently walked up to the helm and took it from a worried Gibbs. Nodding to her, he shouted, "Crew! Durin' Jack's recovery, Miss Blake will be givin' the orders."

This caused an unsatisfied rumble to spread throughout the crew.

"That wasn't something to be discussed or taken into consideration," Belle suddenly bellowed, "That was to be processed as a direct order from Captain Sparrow. So if any of you gits want to argue, speak with me immediately."

The crew stared at her, blinking at her brazen attitude.

"We must make the repairs we can," Belle ordered, gripping the helm as if Jack's courageous stature and boldness would seep into her through the rough wood, "The storm has made her mark. As we accomplish this, we will explore around Ridgeway Cove. I am looking for my ship, gentlemen, and I am not leaving without it."

"Your ship?" Gibbs grumbled.

"It was my father's. _The Rising Sun_."

"And how do ye know that it's around here?" Anamaria asked with raised eyebrows, her long black hair whipping around her face in the unforgiving winds.

Belle instantly grew cold as memories of her dream from the night before plagued her.

"_Take her below."_

"_Don't hurt her!"_

"_The mark will make her remember."_

_She struggled, her feet scuffing the rug. Except it wasn't a rug. It was a map. The book of maps she had bought for Jack spread across the floor, opened and gleaming. _

_The fuzzy forms clenching her arms stopped her in front of a sizzling hot brand. Looking down, she began to be engulfed by sticky hot sands. The ink lines of the map faded into real beach and ocean. She was directly on top of Ridgeway Cove. _

Being thrown back to reality, Belle stared at the awaiting crew.

"Just call it a hunch."

* * *

Review, me dearies! I would love to hear from you. 


	23. Negotiations

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Disney's.

A/N: Hello everybody! Whew! Sorry for the long delay. Thanks to **Murphyangel, Deathly Nightshade, Katie my pirate buddy, Leanan Sidhe, sarah, savvyblackpearl, A Lady Pirate, Scouter, icebluehost, ponysteph15, and i-walk-the-line **for being the fabulous reviewers of Chapter 22. I'm sure we'd all like to see what Captain Blake is up to, so I hope you enjoy the new installment.

* * *

The warming rays of the sun began to vanish. Replacing them was a chilling wind that swept up everyone's spines, caressing their hearts with a feeling of uneasiness.

"You're goin' to wear ruts into the woodwork, missy," a gravelly voice proclaimed from behind the helm.

Belle glanced up from behind the broad rim of her hat, smiling at Gibbs. Halting her pacing (an act she had been thoroughly concentrating on for about fifteen straight minutes) she nodded in his direction. "I apologize if I seem antsy."

"Eh," he shrugged, tugging the helm to the left with a sudden jerk of his wrist, "I don't blame ye, lass. It's a heavy responsibility thrown onto yer shoulders."

"And it doesn't help that we're almost upon _The Rising Sun_," she pointed out, staring out into the looming darkness. The distant ship was outlined by the remaining red glow hovering over the horizon. "I'm sure Captain Hernandez is not a force to be reckoned with."

"What will be the plan of action if he is less than willin' to negotiate?" Gibbs asked, "And I'm sure he's goin' to put up a fight. No captain in his right mind will hand over his ship without a fuss."

"I do not wish to endanger anyone," Belle confessed, "My original plan was to go alone."

"That's out o' the question," Gibbs replied with a shake of his greasy head, "You're a beautiful woman he's bound to take advantage of."

"Pish posh," she grumbled, "Just because I'm a woman, Joshamee, doesn't mean I can't negotiate with the bloody man."

"I agree," Jack said huskily from behind them, "She does have a quick tongue. Or so I'm led to believe."

Gibbs and Belle gazed at his half-dressed form leaning against the railing. His rakish grin reflected the developing moonlight and his hair was uncharacteristically tied up with a strip of fabric.

"You should be resting," Belle pointed out, sounding extremely cross.

"I agree, Jack," Gibbs nodded enthusiastically, "It's not good for you to be walkin' about as of yet."

"A little fresh air can't hurt, can it?" Jack shrugged innocently, "That's all I wanted."

"I'm sure," Belle glared, "That's not all you are up to. You're out to make mischief."

He feigned an expression of shock and hurt. "You're too quick to judge, luv."

"Anywho…" Belle sighed, "Oh, yes. Gibbs, I'll negotiate. If things don't go very well, then we'll attack."

"Will we?" Jack raised his eyebrows. "A daring move for such a nervous gel."

"I'm not nervous," she lied. Belle couldn't hold back her growl of annoyance.

Jack leaned closer to her, his voice lowering an octave. "You're shakin' in your delicious boots, darling. Will you be able to handle it?" He grabbed her by her leather belt and pulled her slowly towards him. She couldn't help but allow it to happen. She saw Gibbs out of the corner of her eye shake his head in exasperation.

"You seem to believe in me, Jack Sparrow. I may be new at this, but I sense that you have a tiny bit of faith in me, even if you don't know who I am," she whispered into his tanned cheek.

"I'm having flashes of remembrances, Captain Blake," he said, grin widening.

"You are?" She couldn't hide her excitement, "What of?"

"I cannot describe them aloud in mixed company," Jack said in a sing-song voice, twirling her around suddenly, "But I shall savor them and keep them close to me heart!"

"You're a fool," she muttered, trying to contain a smile but failing miserably. Turning to a bored Gibbs, she reiterated, "Yes, we'll attack. I need to know you all are standing behind me. After all, right now you're my first mate, and I need to know I can rely on you."

Gibbs nodded and said, "I'll go devise a plan wit' the crew, Captain," and walked off to find the crew.

"I really don't want to put anyone's life on the line." Belle worried her lip and began pacing once more.

Jack sat back, leisurely watching her. "That's the pirate's life, Belle. It's not about security and comfort. When I agreed to help you get your ship back, I'm sure I knew what I was getting me and my crew into, don't ye think?"

"Yes."

"Hell, we need some new excitement around here."

"I suppose you're right." She began to worry her lip again, and Jack stared at her while she did this, mesmerized.

"Captain!" Anamaria ran up, looking frustrated by having to call her this new title. "We're almost upon _The Rising Sun_. They've spotted us."

Belle acknowledged this and ordered, "Prepare one of the boats. I'll be heading over alone."

Anamaria replied, "Aye," looking slightly concerned about her decision before disappearing.

"This is it, I suppose," Belle smiled again, "This adventure is almost at an end."

Jack took her by the arm and pulled her close once more so that their foreheads were touching. "Kiss me, Captain Blake," he commanded gruffly, "Help me remember."

"Jack." As soon as their lips met, a fire consumed them both, sweeping them up on the current of their deepest desires. She heard him emit a low groan as he plunged his hands into her short blond hair, intimately cradling her skull.

It was Belle that broke away first. "I have to go," she said softly, "Go get some rest. I don't want you out here shirtless in these cold winds."

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He could only watch as she straightened her black hat and disappeared over the side of the Pearl as the crew looked on in worried silence.

* * *

"_He can't be alive…he's dead." _

"_He isn't, but he will be."_

"_We're taking him down river…"_

Belle shook her head as another vision swarmed her and continued to row, her arms flexing as she battled with the choppy water. Plump droplets began smacking her on the back. "Of course it's raining," Belle muttered, "It adds to the dramatics."

The moonlight suddenly disappeared, and in its wake the massive hull of _The Rising Sun _overpowered her vision. The beautiful wood of the ship was so dark it was almost black. It was so sleek it shined.

She wanted this. She wanted it more than anything in her entire life.

Well, besides freedom.

_Besides Jack._

Moving a bit closer caused the rustlings of an agitated crew to reach her ears. Belle was sure they were formulating a plan on how to deal with the Pearl. Or with her.

"Watch yer head!"

As soon as she bumped into the side of _The Rising Sun_, a rope was thrown at her quickly. After tying up her boat, she used it to walk up the slippery steps, heaving herself up with each tug of the rope.

An outstretched hand awaited her, and she took it. The strong figure pulled her over so forcefully that she wobbled on her feet.

"My lady…to whom do I owe the pleasure of such a visit?"

If Belle thought the Pearl crew seemed rugged and domineering, these men were dangerous, cruel giants. And there were about thirty of them surrounding the Captain.

Captain Hernandez. He was of Hispanic origin, with black hair combed back and a black goatee. Blue eyes skimmed her slim figure carefully and with caution. He had a strong, handsome face, with a powerful, muscled body to match. The smile on his face is what unnerved her, though. It wasn't a friendly one. It was carefully placed and faked.

"I'm Captain Belle Blake," Belle answered calmly, calculating the glimmer of recognition in his expression, "And I assume you're Captain Hernandez."

"Miss Blake?" he questioned, his tone incredulous, "Surely not. The Belle Blake I remember was a gawky young girl."

Sighing, Belle thrust out her wrist, revealing the _Rising Sun _brand on her flesh. He carefully took her wrist then, as if not to alarm her, and ran a finger along the raised, puckered pink flesh.

"It is you," he whispered, shaking his head, "I'll be damned. After all these years…" He skimmed her figure once more, this time more appreciatively. "You certainly grew into those legs, Miss Blake."

The crew guffawed.

Narrowing her eyes, she yanked her wrist out of his grasp.

"Do you remember who gave you that brand?" Hernandez asked in amusement, stepping closer to her.

"I thought it was my father. So I wouldn't forget."

"Wrong answer, poor girl."

"I am not a _girl_, Captain. Who gave me this brand?"

"Please, call me Thomas. Such old friends shouldn't be so formal."

"Who gave me the brand, Thomas?" Belle hissed, resting her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"I did, of course. Want to know why?"

"I've had about enough of these guessing games," Belle warned.

Captain Hernandez laughed out loud, saying, "I don't really care what you've had enough of, pet. You're surrounded by my men, so I would be careful that you don't wear my patience thin." He stepped closer to her and grabbed her wrist again. She did not fight his touch. Belle's eyes flicked to the crew, who was staring at her like a main course.

"I branded you because I wanted someone to bring you back to me, of course."

"What? Why?" Belle asked, trying to appear unruffled by the intensity of him.

He caressed her wrist, replying matter-of-factly, "It was so many years ago, Belle. I wanted the past to torment you. I wanted you for myself. I wanted your father to know that you would be in my custody whether he liked it or not and that fact killed him. I was just waiting for someone to return you to me. Or for you to get too curious…"

"What did you do to my father?" Belle whispered.

"I killed him, pet. I betrayed him. I wanted his wealth. I wanted his life. So I took it. It was all too easy."

The weight of the facts came crushing down on her. Belle, trembling, almost yanked her pistol from its holster, but she tried to restrain herself.

"You want to kill me now, don't you?" he said gently, running a few fingers through her hair as she stared at him with pure hatred, "Come on. Try."

"I am here to negotiate with you, Captain Hernandez," she spat, still shaking and trying to keep it out of her voice, "This is rightfully my ship by blood. I want it back."

"…and if I don't give it back?"

"Suffer the consequences."

He snorted. "I'm frightened, I truly am, Miss Blake, but you're going to have to entice me with your negotiations. Just handing over MY ship doesn't sound like a negotiation to _me_."

"What do you bloody want, then?" Belle said calmly.

"Like I said, I have been waiting for the moment you stepped back into my life. Do you want to be a part of this ship?"

She nodded hesitantly.

"Then you'll have to be a part of my crew, darling. And I don't mean any old member of my crew. You're going to be very special."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll share my bed," he said huskily, touching her hips and running his hands up to her breasts, "And do my bidding. Your sole purpose would be to please me."

"Go to hell!" She shoved him off of her.

"Is that a no?" he frowned, "Because breaking you would be the sweetest victory I have ever known."

"Prepare for battle, you son of a bitch," she snarled, "Because I'd rather have _The Rising Sun _at the bottom of the ocean than be with you!"

"A pity," he sighed dramatically, "We'd be so good together. Do you really want a battle?"

"Yes. I'm not leaving without my ship."

"You've already established that if you win, you get the ship," Captain Hernandez yawned, "What do I get if I win?"

Belle was silent as she grasped the rope, getting ready to fall back into the rowboat.

"I want you, Miss Blake. And I shall have you. Do we have an accord?"

"Yes," she gritted her teeth, "We do."

Belle disappeared over the side of the ship, listening to the crew's wicked chuckling as she began to row back to _The Black Pearl_.

This was going to be brutal…

…but for which side?

* * *

Please review! I love hearing what you think! 


	24. The Rising Sun

Author's Note: Big hugs and huzzahs to **ponysteph15, MarinJayde, Deathly Nightshade, Lisa, a-boy-named-sue, Sarah, CrimsonDreamer19, SparrowsVixon, ilovejacksparrow121, baby blue eyes10, MorgauseNokami, Syphonus, Jamsey, Vixter, Black Wolf-Dog, orlyluv, ohmigosh and Mesixy! **I can't believe I last updated in October. Time flies, I suppose. Well, we are nearing the end of Jack's and Belle's adventures. This will be the last chapter. I'm sorry if it seems rushed, and I will truly miss writing about Belle Blake! I really want to finish this before the third installment of Pirates so I can gather new story ideas and start fresh. I hope everyone loves Pirates 3. I bought the soundtrack today, and it is amazing. Very epic. Anywho, I hope you enjoy Chapter 24!

PaL

* * *

Belle was feeling too entirely at ease despite her current situation. Her father's legacy belonged to her and her alone, yet a very large, psychotic man stood in her path to true happiness. Perhaps it had all been a mistake. Perhaps she should have stayed back at home, just wishing for the tides to turn.

Hoisting herself over the side of the Pearl, the crew stared on, silently questioning her.

_Silently wondering if she was fit for battle._

She didn't even have to say anything; they knew the answer already. But she felt it was her duty to inform them, "It did not go as well as I had hoped."

Anamaria walked up to her and slung an arm around her shoulder. "Then it's best we start preparin' for a fight, aye?"

Belle didn't want to answer. She wanted to abandon this cause if it meant saving the lives of crew members. She didn't want the _Black Pearl _to be damaged just because her past was in shreds, hanging in tact by a tiny thread of hope and the lust for revenge.

"Captain Thomas Hernandez killed my father for his riches," Belle began quietly. "He branded me all those years ago, in hope that I'd come back to him. We cannot let him win. We have to stand up for all that is true and for the freedoms we cherish. He is the enemy of all that is honest. He is an enemy of piracy."

"Piracy itself is not an honest profession," Anamaria pointed out, hugging her close for comfort. The men nodded in agreement. "But he is indeed an evil man. It is our duty to keep these waters safe."

"Even if we ourselves make the ocean a perilous thing to travel?" Jack asked with a grin, stepping out of the crowd and into sight. He was fully clothed now, with all weapons placed in their holsters and belts.

Belle began, "Jack, for crissakes, I told you to stay…"

"None of that now," he scolded, turning on her. "I understand what you're sayin', luv, and I appreciate you considering us an honest and courageous crew."

"I've always thought that, Jack."

"Hah! Right when you stepped onto the Pearl, you had us all pegged as savages."

Belle knew that something wasn't right with that statement. Examining him closely as he stared down at her in amusement, she finally gasped, "You are SUCH A LIAR, SPARROW!"

"Whatever do you mean?" He blinked innocently. "Me, lying? Never."

"You remember that day! That means…"

He grinned devilishly. "Perhaps it just came to mind?"

Belle couldn't control herself. She delivered the biggest slap imaginable to the side of his face, causing him to stagger backwards from the force. The crew stared on in astonishment, slowly catching on to what was happening.

Jack Sparrow never had amnesia.

"I know something else that comes to mind," Jack said, recollecting himself from the blow.

Belle couldn't find words as she glared daggers at him. She was absolutely FURIOUS. How DARE he put her in such a compromising position? How DARE he mess with her emotions like that?

"I also remember a darlin' gel telling me she's in love wit' me," he finished giddily, clasping his hands together like he wanted to clap them.

"Uh, Captain?" Gibbs stammered, interrupting the showdown.

"What?!" Belle and Jack cried simultaneously. Then they both stared at each other in confusion.

"_The Rising Sun _is drifting up to our starboard side. They're preparin' the guns."

"_Lower the anchor on the right side. On the starboard side!" Elizabeth Swann cried, strands of her brown hair separating in the wind. _

"_It certainly has the element of surprise," a rugged-looking man replied, staring up at a skeptical Anamaria. _

"_You're daft, lady! You both are!"_

Belle shook her head, trying to clear her mind of these swarming visions. Now was not the time to get wrapped up in the past!

"Lower the anchor on the right side. On the starboard side!" Belle could hear herself saying.

Anamaria stared at her, trying to place the phrase she had heard before.

"Elizabeth Swann?" Belle offered.

"How do you remember that?" Anamaria asked, looking a bit squeamish, "You weren't even there!"

"Ugh," Belle groaned, "I don't know. Let's just do this. Let's surprise them. We can take that opportunity to catch them off-guard."

"Uh, lass…" Gibbs said urgently, "They're right on our tail."

"DROP THE ANCHOR!" Belle shouted, "Prepare your weapons! Bring out the guns!"

As everyone was running around her in that moment, she felt it all go in slow motion. She felt the breeze tickling her chin, caressing her nape. Belle watched as gulls cawed and effortlessly glided past the main mast.

An arm slid around her waist and she glanced up into Jack's grave expression. Belle felt trapped under a spell, somehow. It was just her and Jack. Everyone around her was a blur.

"This is it, Belle Blake," he said quickly. "This marks the end o' your adventures." He finished the remark with a violent tug on her shirt, capturing her mouth with his. It was swift, rough, urgent…by the time Jack Sparrow walked away with his sword unsheathed, Belle was still recovering from the passionate shock of it all.

The _Pearl_ gave a hefty jerk once the anchor hit the sandy ocean bottom. Belle, as a result, fell on _her _bottom. Anamaria grabbed at her hand and pulled her up, saying rapidly, "I'd get your cutlass out if I were you."

Belle did so, shivering as the weight of the blade blended with the weight of her hand. Staring out at the beautiful _Rising Sun, _she could see Captain Hernandez standing smugly on the main deck, staring _right back at her_.

"We're waiting for your signal of surrender, Miss Blake." Hernandez's voice rang out amidst the bustle.

"Well, that moment's never going to come, Captain," Belle shouted back sweetly. "Why not just willingly hand over the prize? It would save you a lot of humiliation."

He angrily turned to his men and roared, "FIRE!"

The cannon blasts were deafening. The _Pearl_ shrieked and groaned in despair as the cannon balls flew through her beautiful siding and shattered a few windows. An instant pang of remorse swept through Belle. But if this was what needed to be done to win, so be it.

_The Rising Sun _was much bigger than the Pearl, and its cannons delivered a dozen shocking blows. Once the smoke cleared, Belle knew it was time to retaliate as the other crew struggled to reload.

Anamaria shouted the signal, and again, another blast seemed to shake the ships and the surrounding sea. Gunshots rang out as both crews began to take aim at each other.

Grabbing a loaded musket, Belle licked the sweat that formed from the top of her lip and took aim. Without thinking, she aimed and took a man's life.

Wildly taking in the scenery around her as she hurried to reload the gunpowder, she noticed Jack gallantly walking up to the side of the _Pearl_ as bullets whizzed by him. He aimed his pistol expertly and shot. It hit his target right in the forehead; the man crumpled, fell and was immediately swallowed by the waves.

Two men were injured on their side, one fatally. Deep crimson blood seeped through the cracks of the floorboards.

The _Rising Sun _crew didn't have good aim, but Belle would bet they were experts when it came to swordplay.

"Gibbs!" she shouted, and the man yelped in response. "We have to fend off their grapple hooks! We can't allow them to board!"

As if on cue, grapple hooks flew over the side of the ship, digging into the wooden sides and getting tangled in netting. Hernandez's crew began to pull the two ships closer.

Belle began struggling with the hooks, but it was no use. They were embedded into the side. The tension of the ropes wouldn't allow her to break them free by hand.

"We need an axe!" Belle screamed, "Now!"

The deafening crack she heard next stunned her. Another round of cannon fire from the _Rising Sun _plowed into the side of the _Pearl_. This time, the blow was unmistakably critical.

There were five of Hernandez's men left. And Hernandez looked furious because of it. He wanted Belle to pay with her own blood.

She gripped her sword tightly as the large men jumped over the side of the _Pearl_, swords bared. Shouting erupted, and the sounds of clanging blades mixed into the chaos.

Jack was busy fighting off a man that had to be almost seven feet tall. Gibbs was struggling to keep the upper hand in his fight. Anamaria shot another enemy crewmember in the chest with her musket.

When Belle snapped back to her own situation, she realized Captain Hernandez was heading straight for her, grinning lewdly. Shoving her sword out in front of her, her hand began trembling on the hilt. Hernandez took notice of this and laughed.

"Silly girl." One forceful swing of his blade had her backed up against the mast. "You really think you can outfight me? You're naïve. Fragile." He smacked her sword out of her hand to make his point. Placing a large hand around her throat, he squeezed, choking the life out of her.

As she strangled and struggled, he placed his blade at her heart. "You should have walked away from this, Miss Blake. Here you are, looking for your heart's desires when I'm about to take your heart away from you.

The tip of his sword cut into her chest, causing her to cry out in pain.

"Is it worth it? This excitement in exchange for your pitiful life?" he questioned coldly.

"I don't know," she gasped, extracting a dagger from her breeches and suddenly shoving it into his own heart. "You tell me."

Hernandez didn't even see it coming. He gaped for a few seconds in disbelief before falling face-first onto the deck.

Jack ran up to her, looking entirely too grim.

"What's wrong?" Belle glimpsed around just in time to see the last enemy crewmember killed. Massaging her throat, she cried, "We won! You should be ecstatic!"

"_The Pearl_," he began heavily, "She's…I don't think she'll make it."

And that's when she felt it. The weight underneath her feet. The ship was taking on an abundance of water from her cannon wounds.

Belle said angrily, "Dammit, Jack. Stop talking like that! What's wrong with you?"

"Go see for yourself, Belle. The lower deck is almost completely under water," Gibbs said, rushing up from below deck. He was completely drenched from the waist down. Mr. Cotton, Anamaria and Marty followed suit.

"We're a mile from Ridgeway Cove," Belle replied frantically, "Can't we…"

"We won't make it," Anamaria answered softly. "We're stuck where we are."

"Grab some buckets!" Belle ordered, on the edge of tears. She didn't want to lose _The Black Pearl_. It would be all her fault. The beautiful ship would be confined to the bottom of the ocean forever. She made an attempt to run past Jack but he grabbed her arm.

"Dammit, Belle, we're saying it's hopeless. Get that through your thick skull," he shouted.

Sorrow radiated off of the silent crew. Jack shouted again and angrily slammed his hand into the mast, causing it to bleed.

"Board _The_ _Rising Sun_," he finally said, misery lacing his tone. "Everyone. That's an order."

* * *

It had been two dreadful hours. Two hours of watching _The Black Pearl _slowly sink to the depths. The crow's nest was all that remained in sight.

The crew just stood there, leaning over the side, watching, keeping vigil. Captain Jack Sparrow seemed defeated where he stood quietly. An eerie calm surrounded him.

Belle finally understood something that she had never truly grasped before. The _Pearl_ was one of Jack's only true loves. And here he was, watching that love disappear. He must have been heartbroken.

It wasn't a hard decision to make. In fact, it was downright simple.

Belle slowly walked up to Jack, trying not to brutally startle him out of his reverie.

He spoke first. "I appreciate you acceptin' us onto your fine vessel."

"Yes. You are right. It's rightfully mine now. I should be happy, right?"

"Delighted." He didn't appear very excited for her. And who could blame him? "You got everything you wanted, luv. Congratulations."

"But I'm not happy." She peered up at him. "Is that horrible of me?"

Jack suddenly struck like a venomous cobra. "You are a hard bitch to please, Captain Blake. And here I gave up me ship to retrieve yours, and you refuse to find satisfaction in that." He stood a mere inch from her, growling, "You better run off before I lose control and strike you."

"Jack…"

"BELLE. Respect me wishes. I don't want to see your face for the rest of this voyage."

She stepped closer to him as if to challenge his authority. His hand immediately rose, clenching and unclenching, just inches from her flushed cheek.

"Jack, I love you."

"What a fine way to show it," he laughed bitterly, turning away from her.

"You gave me something worth more than any material possession in this world. You gave me strength and determination. You gave me an adventure." She paused, almost choking as a result of her overloaded emotions. "You sacrificed so much for me. I understand that to the fullest extent."

He looked into her pleading eyes, hesitant.

"Jack. Captain. I want you to accept my gift. Please, accept _The Rising Sun_ as your own."

Jack's face grew slack. "You don't know what you're sayin', Belle," he murmured. "Your whole journey was for this. You wanted to continue your father's lifestyle."

"And I'm willing to give that up. Like I said, you gave me an adventure. I am truly happy with that alone. Well…" She wavered.

"What is it?" he questioned gently.

"And I fell in love with a rogue. That's enough adventure for me," she added shyly.

Jack Sparrow suddenly pulled the emotional woman into his arms, pressing her into his chest. "Belle," his voice was muffled by her hair, "Thank you." His squeezing embrace did not weaken.

"So…my roguish charm is enough to satisfy you, eh?" he suddenly asked, smiling.

"Pssh. Don't let it get to your head, Sparrow. I also think that I'm needed much more at home with my father."

"Port Royal it is, then?"

"That's your call, Captain." She brushed a kiss onto his whiskered chin.

"Ah, yes. That's fine. We have a wedding to attend, if I remember correctly." Turning, Jack slid smoothly back into his element and began shouting orders at his crew. "Make yourselves at home, ye scabberous dogs! Step to! We've got a wedding to ravage!"

* * *

_Two weeks later…_

"Really, Jack. We are completely missing the wedding!" Belle squealed as the dashing pirate picked her up and carried her over the balcony railing, "And we are trespassing on their property! The Swann mansion is probably swarming with guards."

Jack scoffed, "Then I wouldn't be making so much noise, then! They will be back here for the reception in an hour or two. We'll see them then."

Belle held in laughter as Jack concentrated on picking the locks. With a tiny click, Jack satisfyingly grabbed her hand and led her inside a very large, extravagantly-furnished bedroom. The large, mahogany bed with red silk sheets seemed to pulse with sensuality.

"And how did you know where this room was?" Belle questioned with raised eyebrows, folding her arms.

"Miss Swann, er, Mrs. Turner, let me under her skirts once."

"Jack!" Belle cried indignantly, "That wasn't a very smart thing to reveal now that you want a peek under _my _skirts.

"I was only fibbing," he said with a roll of his eyes, "I broke in and ravished the maid instead."

"You're incorrigible," she groaned as he closed and locked the doors. Before she could say anything else, his lips touched hers, his hands were everywhere at once…

He picked her up once more and set her down on the edge of the bed, immediately lifting her skirts to her hips. Belle let out a soft moan when his ringed fingers brushed the insides of her thighs, spreading her legs with his hands.

"Say you love me," he demanded, biting at her throat.

"I love you," she gasped.

"When I leave Port Royal tomorrow, remember that I'll come back for you," he whispered. "Tell me you trust me."

"Yes, Captain…"

"Jack," he demanded, "Say it."

She opened her eyes, taking in his stormy, lust-filled expression as he began to slowly make love to her.

"Jack, I trust you." She clutched his shoulders, taking in the feeling of him being so close. She was desperate to be even closer, desperate with this unyielding desire.

"Forever." Captain Jack Sparrow murmured.

"Always."

* * *

That's the end! It's so bittersweet for me since I started this fic around the time _The Curse of the Black Pearl _came out. Lots of memories here. Thanks to Katie for her help with this chapter. Review, please, and tell me what you think! 


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